Antenna switching circuitry for MIMO/diversity modes

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to antenna switching circuitry and other radio frequency (RF) front-end circuitry. In one embodiment, the antenna switching circuitry includes a multiple throw solid-state transistor switch (MTSTS), a multiple throw microelectromechanical switch (MTMEMS), and a control circuit. The MTSTS is configured to selectively couple a first pole port to any one of a first set of throw ports and to selectively couple a second pole port to any one of a second set of throw ports. The MTMEMS is configured to selectively couple a third pole port to any one of a third set of throw ports. The control circuit is configured to control the selective coupling of the MTSTS and the MTMEMS. In this manner, the control circuit may operate the antenna switching circuitry so that RF signals may be routed in accordance with Long Term Evolution (LTE) Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO) and/or LTE diversity specifications.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/943,969, filed on Jul. 17, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,009,058, andentitled “RF FRONT-END CIRCUITRY FOR RECEIVE MIMO SIGNALS,” which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/673,014,filed on Jul. 18, 2012, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/852,527, filed on Mar. 28, 2013, now U.S. Pat.No. 9,219,594, and entitled “DUAL ANTENNA INTEGRATED CARRIER AGGREGATIONFRONT-END SOLUTION,” which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/660,969 filed on Jun. 18,2012 and entitled “DUAL ANTENNA INTEGRATED CARRIER AGGREGATION FRONT-ENDSOLUTION,” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/789,007filed on Mar. 15, 2013 and entitled “DUAL ANTENNA INTEGRATED CARRIERAGGREGATION FRONT-END SOLUTION,” the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/944,972, filed on Jul. 18, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,118,100, andentitled “ANTENNA SWITCHING CIRCUITRY FOR A WORLDPHONE RADIO INTERFACE,”the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety. This application is also related to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/950,432, filed on Jul. 25, 2013 and entitled“ANTENNA SWITCHING CIRCUITRY,” the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates generally to radio frequency (RF) front-endcircuitry which may be provided in an RF front-end module. Morespecifically, this disclosure relates to antenna switching circuitry,which may be provided as RF front-end circuitry within an RF front-endmodule.

BACKGROUND

Radio frequency (RF) front-end modules are utilized in mobilecommunication devices (e.g., laptops, cellular phones, tablets, etc.) tohandle RF signals transmitted to the mobile communication devices and/orreceived by the mobile communication devices. Manufacturers andconsumers of mobile communication devices continue to demandincreasingly greater rates of data exchange (data rates) and the abilityto handle RF signals formatted in accordance with an increasing varietyof RF communication standards and RF communication specifications. Assuch, the RF front-end module may include RF transceiver circuitry witha plurality of different transmit chains and receiver chains in order toprocess the various types of RF signals. The RF front-end modules maythus include RF front-end circuitry, such as antenna switchingcircuitry, that allows for RF signals to be routed to the varioustransmit chains and receiver chains from one or more common antennas.

For example, certain Long Term Evolution (LTE) specifications, such asLTE diversity specifications and LTE Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output(MIMO) specifications, require operation in multiple bands using atleast two antennas. These techniques present significant routingchallenges to RF front-end circuitry due to the amount of switching andchanges in routing involved to handle the various requirements demandedby LTE diversity and LTE MIMO specifications. Thus, adaptable andflexible RF front-end circuitry is needed that provides adequate antennaswitching functionality for LTE diversity and LTE MIMO specifications.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates generally to radio frequency (RF) front-endcircuitry, and in particular to antenna switching circuitry, along withmethods of operating the same. In one embodiment, the antenna switchingcircuitry includes a multiple throw solid-state transistor switch(MTSTS), a multiple throw microelectromechanical switch (MTMEMS), and acontrol circuit. The MTSTS has a first pole port and a second pole port,which may each be coupled to a different antenna. The MTSTS isconfigured to selectively couple the first pole port to any one of afirst set of throw ports and to selectively couple the second pole portto any one of a second set of throw ports. In this manner, the MTSTS isoperable to route multiple RF signals to and from the antennas.

The MTMEMS may be utilized to provide high levels of isolation and lowinsertion losses for RF signals sensitive to insertion losses andisolation degradation due to their high frequencies and/or codingschemes. In this regard, the MTMEMS has a third pole port and a thirdset of throw ports and is configured to selectively couple the thirdpole port to any one of the third set of throw ports. The third poleport of the MTMEMS may be operably associated with the MTSTS so that RFsignals can be routed from the MTSTS to the MTMEMS using the third poleport. The control circuit may be configured to control the selectivecoupling of the MTSTS and the MTMEMS. As such, the control circuit mayoperate in one or more modes where the control circuit controls theselective coupling of the MTSTS and the MTMEMS such that RF signals arerouted in accordance with one or more Long Term Evolution (LTE)diversity and/or LTE Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO)specifications.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the presentdisclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments inassociation with the accompanying drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing figures incorporated in and forming a part ofthis specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes one embodiment of antenna switchingcircuitry having a multiple throw solid-state transistor switch (MTSTS)coupled to an antenna port (and an antenna) and a multiple throwmicroelectromechanical switch (MTMEMS) operably associated with theMTSTS.

FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes another embodiment of the antenna switchingcircuitry, which is the same as the antenna switching circuitry shown inFIG. 1, but further includes a control circuit.

FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes yet another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry having an MTSTS coupled to an antenna port, a firstMTMEMS operably associated with the MTSTS, a second MTMEMS operablyassociated with the MTSTS, and the control circuit, wherein throw portsof the first MTMEMS receive RF transmission signals from RF transceivercircuitry (not shown), throw ports of the second MTMEMS transmit RFreceive signals to the RF transceiver circuitry, and one of the throwports of the first MTMEMS further transmits another RF receive signal tothe RF transceiver circuitry.

FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes still another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry having an MTSTS, a first MTMEMS operably associatedwith the MTSTS, and a second MTMEMS operably associated with the MTSTS,wherein the first MTMEMS and the second MTMEMS are similar to the firstMTMEMS and the second MTMEMS shown in FIG. 3, but in this embodiment thesecond MTMEMS has a throw port that further receives one of the RFtransmission signals from the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown).

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes yet another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry having an MTSTS, a first MTMEMS operably associatedwith the MTSTS, and a second MTMEMS operably associated with the MTSTS,wherein the first MTMEMS and the second MTMEMS are similar to the firstMTMEMS and the second MTMEMS shown in FIG. 3, but in this embodiment thefirst MTMEMS has a throw port that is directly connected to a throw portof the second MTMEMS.

FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes still another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry having exemplary front-end switching circuitrycoupled to a first antenna port and a second antenna port, the firstMTMEMS shown in FIG. 4, the second MTMEMS shown in FIG. 4, and,additionally, a third MTMEMS.

FIG. 6A is a more detailed illustration of the first MTMEMS, the secondMTMEMS, and the third MTMEMS shown in FIG. 6, where the third MTMEMSreceives multiple secondary receive Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output(MIMO) signals.

FIG. 6B is a more detailed illustration of low band switching circuitryand high band switching circuitry in the front-end switching circuitryof FIG. 6, wherein the low band switching circuitry is a single poleMTSTS (SPMTSTS) and the high band switching circuitry is anotherSPMTSTS.

FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes still another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry that includes another embodiment of exemplaryfront-end switching circuitry coupled to the first antenna port and thesecond antenna port, the first MTMEMS shown in FIG. 3, and the secondMTMEMS shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7A is a more detailed illustration of the first MTMEMS and thesecond MTMEMS shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7B is a more detailed illustration of low band switching circuitryand high band switching circuitry in the front-end switching circuitryof FIG. 7, wherein the low band switching circuitry is an SPMTSTS andthe high band switching circuitry is another SPMTSTS.

FIG. 7C is a more detailed illustration of low band antenna selectioncircuitry provided as a double pole MTSTS (DPMTSTS) in the front-endswitching circuitry of FIG. 7, and high band antenna selection circuitryprovided as a DPMTSTS in the front-end switching circuitry of FIG. 7,along with directional couplers and diplexers provided in the antennaswitching circuitry of FIG. 7 between the front-end switching circuitryand the first and second antenna ports.

FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes still another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry that includes the front-end switching circuitryshown in FIG. 7, the first MTMEMS shown in FIG. 4, and the second MTMEMSshown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 8A is a more detailed illustration of the first MTMEMS shown inFIG. 8 and the second MTMEMS shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8B is a more detailed illustration of the low band switchingcircuitry and the high band switching circuitry in the front-endswitching circuitry of FIG. 8.

FIG. 8C is a more detailed illustration of the low band antennaselection circuitry in the front-end switching circuitry of FIG. 8 andthe high band antenna selection circuitry in the front-end switchingcircuitry of FIG. 8, along with the directional couplers and thediplexers provided in the antenna switching circuitry of FIG. 8 betweenthe front-end switching circuitry and the first and second antennaports.

FIG. 9 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes still another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry that includes the front-end switching circuitryshown in FIG. 7, the first MTMEMS shown in FIG. 5, and the second MTMEMSshown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9A is a more detailed illustration of the first MTMEMS shown inFIG. 9 and the second MTMEMS shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 9B is a more detailed illustration of the low band switchingcircuitry and the high band switching circuitry in the front-endswitching circuitry of FIG. 9.

FIG. 9C is a more detailed illustration of the low band antennaselection circuitry in the front-end switching circuitry of FIG. 9 andthe high band antenna selection circuitry in the front-end switchingcircuitry of FIG. 9, along with the directional couplers and thediplexers provided in the antenna switching circuitry of FIG. 9 betweenthe front-end switching circuitry and the first and second antennaports.

FIG. 10 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes another embodiment of the antenna switchingcircuitry and the RF transceiver circuitry, wherein the antennaswitching circuitry is for a Worldphone or World tablet that allows foroperation with three antennas, and wherein the antenna switchingcircuitry includes the front-end switching circuitry shown in FIGS. 7,7B, 7C, 8, 8B, 8C, 9, 9B, and 9C, another embodiment of an MTMEMS thatincludes throw ports coupled to receive secondary receive MIMO signals,and a double pole MTMEMS (DPMTMEMS) that is operably associated with thefront-end switching circuitry and a third antenna port.

FIG. 10A is a more detailed illustration of the MTMEMS shown in FIG. 10that includes throw ports coupled to receive secondary receive MIMOsignals.

FIG. 10B is a more detailed illustration of the DPMTMEMS shown in FIG.10.

FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes another embodiment of the front-endswitching circuitry that is similar to the front-end switching circuitryshown in FIGS. 7, 7B, 7C, 8, 8B, 8C, 9, 9B, and 9C, except that the lowband antenna selection circuitry of the front-end switching circuitry inFIG. 11 is a double pole MTSTS (DPMTSTS) that includes additionalindependent throw ports, and the high band antenna selection circuitryof the front-end switching circuitry in FIG. 11 is a DPMTMSTS that alsoincludes additional independent throw ports.

FIG. 11A is an illustration of the front-end switching circuitry shownin FIG. 11 operating in a low band/low band transmit/high band/high bandreceive (LLT/HHR) carrier aggregation mode.

FIG. 11B is an illustration of the front-end switching circuitry shownin FIG. 11 operating in a high band/high band transmit/low band/low bandreceive (HHT/LLR) carrier aggregation mode.

FIG. 11C is an illustration of the front-end switching circuitry shownin FIG. 11 operating in a low band/high band transmit/low band/high bandreceive (LHT/LHR) carrier aggregation mode.

FIG. 11D is an illustration of the front-end switching circuitry shownin FIG. 11 operating in the LHT/LHR carrier aggregation mode afterhaving swapped antennas.

FIG. 12 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry in one embodimentof an RF front-end module that includes the front-end switchingcircuitry shown in FIG. 11 and exemplary transmit chains operablyassociated with the front-end switching circuitry.

FIG. 13 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry, wherein the RFfront-end circuitry includes yet another embodiment of the antennaswitching circuitry with another embodiment of the front-end switchingcircuitry, the first MTMEMS shown in FIG. 5, and the second MTMEMS shownin FIG. 5, and wherein the front-end switching circuitry includes thelow band antenna selection circuitry and the high band antenna selectioncircuitry from FIG. 11, but the low band switching circuitry is providedas another MTMEMS and the high band switching circuitry is provided asyet another MTMEMS.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information toenable those skilled in the art to practice the embodiments andillustrate the best mode of practicing the embodiments. Upon reading thefollowing description in light of the accompanying drawing figures,those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosureand will recognize applications of these concepts not particularlyaddressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts andapplications fall within the scope of the disclosure and theaccompanying claims.

This disclosure relates generally to RF front-end circuitry for routingradio frequency (RF) signals to and/or from one or more antennas (suchas antenna switching circuitry), and methods of operating the same. Forinstance, different embodiments of the antenna switching circuitry aredisclosed that have RF switching topologies, along with methods ofoperating these RF switching topologies. The antenna switching circuitrymay be provided as RF front-end circuitry within an RF front-end modulebetween one or more antenna ports and RF transceiver circuitry. Theantenna switching circuitry disclosed herein allows one or more antennaports to be selectively coupled to any one of a plurality of RFtransceiver ports in the RF transceiver circuitry. The RF transceiverports may be coupled to different receiver chains and/or transmit chainsin the RF transceiver circuitry. In one embodiment, the antennaswitching circuitry includes front-end switching circuitry configured toselectively couple the RF transceiver ports to at least one antennaport.

The front-end switching circuitry may include a multiple throwsolid-state transistor switch (MTSTS). The MTSTS has a first set ofthrow ports and a first pole port. The first pole port may be an antennaport, or may be coupled to an antenna port. Furthermore, one or more ofthe first set of throw ports may be an RF port or ports, such as the RFtransceiver port(s); may be coupled to other switching circuitry thatselectively couples the throw port(s) to one or more RF ports (such asthe RF transceiver ports); and/or may simply be coupled to the RFport(s) (such as the RF transceiver port(s)).

The RF front-end circuitry may also include a multiple throwmicroelectromechanical switch (MTMEMS) having a second set of throwports and a second pole port. One or more of the second set of throwports may be RF transceiver port(s), may be coupled to other switchingcircuitry that selectively couples the throw port(s) to the RFtransceiver port(s), and/or may simply be coupled to the RF transceiverport(s).

The MTMEMS may provide a high level of isolation when the RF transceiverports associated with the second set of throw ports are not being usedwith respect to an antenna coupled to the antenna port. Morespecifically, the second pole port of the MTMEMS is coupled to a firstthrow port in the first set of throw ports of the MTSTS. Accordingly,the first pole port of the MTSTS (and thus the associated antenna port)is selectively coupled to the second pole port of the MTMEMS when thefirst pole port of the MTSTS has been selectively coupled to the firstthrow port of the MTSTS. The first pole port of the MTSTS (and thus theantenna port associated with the first pole port) is decoupled from thesecond pole port of the MTMEMS when the first pole port of the MTSTS hasnot been selectively coupled to the first throw port of the MTSTS. Sincethe MTSTS may not provide a desired level of isolation, the MTMEMS isprovided between the MTSTS and the RF transceiver ports associated withthe second set of throw ports of the MTMEMS. The MTMEMS may mechanicallydisconnect the second set of throw ports and the second pole port.

To prevent hot switching, the MTSTS may be controlled to decouple theMTSTS from the second pole port of the MTMEMS, prior to the MTMEMSdecoupling the second pole port from the selectively coupled throw portassociated with the RF transceiver port. The MTSTS can thus be providedto prevent, or at least reduce, hot switching in the MTMEMS, and thusincrease the life of the MTMEMS. As such, the switching topology mayprovide the benefit of increased isolation while preventing or reducinghot switching in the MTMEMS.

As explained in further detail below, this arrangement may be utilizedto provide RF front-end circuitry (such as antenna switching circuitry)in RF front-end applications with various transceiver chains (i.e.,receiver chains and/or transmit chains) that process RF signals withindifferent communication bands, with different duplexing techniques, withdifferent RF communication standards, and/or in accordance withdifferent RF communication specifications for these RF communicationstandards. For example, the arrangement may be utilized in antennaswitching circuitry in RF front-end modules and operate in accordancewith Long Term Evolution (LTE)—Time Division Duplex (TDD) techniques;LTE-Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) techniques; or one or more differenttypes of carrier aggregation techniques, such as LTE diversitytechniques and/or LTE Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (MIMO)techniques; and/or may provide antenna switching functionality for afront-end transceiver module of a Worldphone or World tablet.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of antenna switchingcircuitry 10. The antenna switching circuitry 10 is RF front-endcircuitry that may be provided within an RF front-end module. Theantenna switching circuitry 10 includes an MTSTS 12 and an MTMEMS 14.The MTSTS 12 has a first set of throw ports (referred to generically aselements 16, and specifically as elements 16-1, 16-2, 16-3, and 16-N)and a pole port 18. The MTSTS 12 is configured to selectively couple thepole port 18 to any of the first set of throw ports 16. In thisembodiment, the pole port 18 is coupled to an antenna port 20, which isconnected to an antenna ANT1. Thus, by selectively coupling the poleport 18 to one of the first set of throw ports 16, the antenna port 20(and thus the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 16that was selected. In alternative embodiments, the pole port 18 may bethe antenna port 20. Furthermore, the throw port 16, the pole port 18,and the antenna port 20 may be nodes, terminals, contacts, and/or thelike.

The MTMEMS 14 has a second set of throw ports (referred to genericallyas elements 22, and specifically as elements 22-1, 22-2, 22-3, and 22-M)and a pole port 24. The pole port 24 is coupled to the throw port 16-3in the first set of throw ports 16 of the MTSTS 12. Accordingly, whenthe pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 of theMTSTS 12, the pole port 18 is coupled to the pole port 24 of the MTMEMS14. Thus, the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1 are also coupled tothe pole port 24 of the MTMEMS 14 when the pole port 18 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 16-3.

The MTMEMS 14 is configured to selectively couple the pole port 24 toany of the second set of throw ports 22. The second set of throw ports22 may be coupled to RF transceiver ports, or they may be the RFtransceiver ports themselves. When the pole port 24 is selectivelycoupled to one of the throw ports 22 in the second set of throw ports 22of the MTMEMS 14, and when the pole port 18 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12, the pole port 18, and thus theantenna port 20, is selectively coupled to the selected one of thesecond set of throw ports 22 of the MTMEMS 14. For example, when thepole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 and the poleport 24 is selectively coupled to the throw port 22-1, the pole port 18,and thus the antenna port 20, is selectively coupled to the throw port22-1 in the MTMEMS 14. As another example, when the pole port 18 isselectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 and the pole port 24 isselectively coupled to the throw port 22-2, the pole port 18, and thusthe antenna port 20, is selectively coupled to the throw port 22-2 inthe MTMEMS 14. When the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-3 and the pole port 24 is selectively coupled to the throw port22-3, the pole port 18, and thus the antenna port 20, is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 22-3 in the MTMEMS 14. Finally, when the poleport 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 and the pole port24 is selectively coupled to the throw port 22-M, the pole port 18, andthus the antenna port 20, is selectively coupled to the throw port 22-Min the MTMEMS 14. Thus, when the pole port 18 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 16-3, and when the pole port 24 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 22-1, or the throw port 22-2, or the throw port 22-3, orthe throw port 22-M, the antenna ANT1 may transmit an RF signal fromand/or provide an RF signal to the selected one of the throw ports 22.

In this embodiment, the MTSTS 12 includes a set of transistors (referredto generically as elements 26, and specifically as elements 26-1, 26-2,26-3, and 26-N). Each of the transistors 26 provides a path between thepole port 18 (and thus the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) and oneof the throw ports 16 in the first set of throw ports 16. The firsttransistor 26-1 provides a path between the pole port 18 and the throwport 16-1. The second transistor 26-2 provides a path between the poleport 18 and the throw port 16-2. The third transistor 26-3 provides apath between the pole port 18 and the throw port 16-3. The fourthtransistor 26-N provides a path between the pole port 18 and the throwport 16-N. To selectively couple the pole port 18 and one of the throwports 16, the path provided by the transistor 26 that corresponds to thethrow port 16 is closed. Accordingly, the transistor 26 is turned on inorder to close the path between the throw port 16 and the pole port 18.Thus, by turning the transistor 26 corresponding to the throw port 16on, the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16.

Each of the transistors 26 may be any type of transistor suitable tocomply with the performance parameters of a given RF application. Inthis embodiment, each of the transistors 26 is a field effect transistor(FET). As shown in FIG. 1, switch control signals (referred togenerically as elements 28, and specifically as elements 28-1, 28-2,28-3, and 28-N) are received by a gate of each of the transistors 26.When the switch control signal 28 is in an activation state, thetransistor 26 that receives the switch control signal 28 is turned on.Thus, the transistor 26-1 is turned on when the switch control signal28-1 is received in the activation state. In this case, the pathprovided by the transistor 26-1 from the pole port 18 to the throw port16-1 is closed and the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-1. The transistor 26-2 is turned on when the switch controlsignal 28-2 is received in the activation state. In this case, the pathprovided by the transistor 26-2 from the pole port 18 to the throw port16-2 is closed and the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-2. The transistor 26-3 is turned on when the switch controlsignal 28-3 is received in the activation state. In this case, the pathprovided by the transistor 26-3 from the pole port 18 to the throw port16-3 is closed and the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-3. The transistor 26-N is turned on when the switch controlsignal 28-N is received in the activation state. In this case, the pathprovided by the transistor 26-N from the pole port 18 to the throw port16-N is closed and the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-N.

Each of the throw ports 16 may also be decoupled from the pole port 18.To decouple each of the throw ports 16 from the pole port 18, the pathbetween the pole port 18 and the throw port 16 is opened. Thus, to openthe path between the pole port 18 and the throw port 16-1, the switchcontrol signal 28-1 is received in a deactivation state and thetransistor 26-1 is turned off. To open the path between the pole port 18and the throw port 16-2, the switch control signal 28-2 is received inthe deactivation state and the transistor 26-2 is turned off. To openthe path between the pole port 18 and the throw port 16-3, the switchcontrol signal 28-3 is received in the deactivation state and thetransistor 26-3 is turned off. To open the path between the pole port 18and the throw port 16-N, the switch control signal 28-N is received inthe deactivation state and the transistor 26-N is turned off.

The pole port 24 of the MTMEMS 14 is thus coupled to the pole port 18,the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1 when the path between the poleport 18 and the throw port 16-3 is closed by turning on the transistor26-3. As mentioned above, to turn on the transistor 26-3, the switchcontrol signal 28-3 is provided in the activation state. In this case,the paths between the other throw ports 16-1, 16-2, and 16-N may beopened by turning off the transistors 26-1, 26-2, and 26-N. In thiscase, the switch control signals 28-1, 28-2, and 28-N are each providedin the deactivation state. Similarly, when one of the paths between thethrow ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N and the pole port 18 is closed, the pathsbetween the other throw ports (16-2, 16-3, 16-N), (16-1, 16-3, 16-N),(16-1, 16-2, 16-3) and the pole port 18 are each open.

With regard to the MTMEMS 14, the MTMEMS 14 includes a plurality ofmicroelectromechanical switches (MEMSs, referred to generically aselements 30, and specifically as elements 30-1, 30-2, 30-3, and 30-M)that provide paths between the pole port 24 and each of the throw ports22 in the second set of throw ports 22.

Each MEMS 30 has an actuation member (referred to generically aselements 32, and specifically as 32-1, 32-2, 32-3, and 32-M) with ananchored end, an arm, and a contact end. The anchored end of each of theactuation members 32 may be attached to a contact and/or an anchor pad.Each of the MEMSs 30 also includes an actuator plate (referred togenerically as elements 34, and specifically as elements 34-1, 34-2,34-3, and 34-M) and a contact portion (referred to generically aselements 36, and specifically as elements 36-1, 36-2, 36-3, and 36-M).The arm of each of the actuation members 32 is suspended over theactuator plate 34, and the contact end of each of the actuation members32 is suspended over the contact portion 36. To actuate each of theMEMSs 30, an electric potential is generated between the actuator plate34 of the MEMS 30 and the arm of the actuation member 32. The electricalpotential creates an attractive force, which pulls the arm, and therebythe contact end of the actuation member 32, towards the actuator plate34. As a result, the actuation member 32 is moved so that the contactend of the actuation member 32 is placed in electrical contact with thecontact portion 36. Switch control signals (referred to generically aselements 38, and specifically as elements 38-1, 38-8, 38-3, and 38-M)are received by each of the actuator plates 34 to control the actuationof the actuation members 32.

To selectively couple the pole port 24 to one of the second set of throwports 22 of the MTMEMS 14, the path from the throw port 22 to the poleport 24 is closed. For instance, the path from the throw port 22-1 tothe pole port 24 is closed when the actuation member 32-1 of the MEMS30-1 has been actuated so that the contact end of the actuation member32-1 makes electrical contact with the contact portion 36-1. To actuatethe actuation member 32-1 so that the contact end of the actuationmember 32-1 makes contact with the contact portion 36-1, the switchcontrol signal 38-1 is received in an activation state.

The path from the throw port 22-2 to the pole port 24 is closed when theactuation member 32-2 of the MEMS 30-2 has been actuated so that thecontact end of the actuation member 32-2 makes electrical contact withthe contact portion 36-2. To actuate the actuation member 32-2 so thatthe contact end of the actuation member 32-2 makes contact with thecontact portion 36-2, the switch control signal 38-2 is received in anactivation state.

The path from the throw port 22-3 to the pole port 24 is closed when theactuation member 32-3 of the MEMS 30-3 has been actuated so that thecontact end of the actuation member 32-3 makes electrical contact withthe contact portion 36-3. To actuate the actuation member 32-3 so thatthe contact end of the actuation member 32-3 makes contact with thecontact portion 36-3, the switch control signal 38-3 is received in anactivation state.

The path from the throw port 22-M to the pole port 24 is closed when theactuation member 32-M of the MEMS 30-M has been actuated so that thecontact end of the actuation member 32-M makes electrical contact withthe contact portion 36-M. To actuate the actuation member 32-M so thatthe contact end of the actuation member 32-M makes contact with thecontact portion 36-M, the switch control signal 38-M is received in anactivation state.

For each throw port 22 in the MTMEMS 14, the path from the throw port 22to the pole port 24 is open when the actuation member 32 of the MEMS 30has the contact end suspended, and thus not making electrical contactwith the contact portion 36. The throw port 22-1 is thus decoupled fromthe pole port 24 and the path from the throw port 22-1 to the pole port24 is open when the contact end of the actuation member 32-1 issuspended over the contact portion 36-1. In this case, the switchcontrol signal 38-1 is received in a deactivation state.

The throw port 22-2 is decoupled from the pole port 24 and the path fromthe throw port 22-2 to the pole port 24 is open when the contact end ofthe actuation member 32-2 is suspended over the contact portion 36-2. Inthis case, the switch control signal 38-2 is received in a deactivationstate.

The throw port 22-3 is decoupled from the pole port 24 and the path fromthe throw port 22-3 to the pole port 24 is open when the contact end ofthe actuation member 32-3 is suspended over the contact portion 36-3. Inthis case, the switch control signal 38-3 is received in a deactivationstate.

The throw port 22-M is decoupled from the pole port 24 and the path fromthe throw port 22-M to the pole port 24 is open when the contact end ofthe actuation member 32-M is suspended over the contact portion 36-M. Inthis case, the switch control signal 38-M is received in a deactivationstate.

When the throw port 22-1, the throw port 22-2, the throw port 22-3, orthe throw port 22-M is selectively coupled, the throw ports 22-2, 22-3,22-M, the throw ports 22-1, 22-3, 22-M, the throw ports 22-1, 22-2,22-M, and the throw ports 22-1, 22-2, 22-3 are decoupled, respectively.When any one of the MEMS 30-1, the MEMS 30-2, the MEMS 30-3, or the MEMS30-M is closed, the MEMS 30-2, 30-3, 30-M, the MEMS 30-1, 30-3, 30-M,the MEMS 30-1, 30-2, 30-M, and the MEMS 30-1, 30-2, 30-3 are open,respectively. Accordingly, any one of the throw ports 22 of the MTMEMS14 may be selectively coupled to the antenna ANT1 by turning on thetransistor 26-3 simultaneously with any one of the MEMSs 30.

In FIG. 1, the MTSTS 12 is formed on a semiconductor substrate 40. Thesemiconductor substrate 40 has a semiconductor body formed from a waferand/or doped layers of a suitable semiconductor material. For example,the semiconductor material may be Silicon (Si), Silicon Germanium(SiGe), Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Indium Phosphorus (InP), and/or thelike. Typical dopants that may be utilized to dope the semiconductorlayers are Gallium (Ga), Arsenic (As), Silicon (Si), Tellurium (Te),Zinc (Zn), Sulfur (S), Boron (B), Phosphorus (P), Aluminum GalliumArsenide (AlGaAs), Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs), and/or the like.Furthermore, metallic layers may be formed on a top, within, and/or on abottom of the substrate body to provide terminals, traces, coils,contact pads, connections, passive impedance elements, activecomponents, and/or the like. Also, any type of suitable semiconductortechnology may be provided in accordance with a topology of thesemiconductor substrate 40. For example, the semiconductor technologymay be Complementary Metal-On-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology,BiComplementary Metal-On-Oxide Semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology,Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology, and/or the like. In thisembodiment, a topology of the semiconductor substrate 40 is provided inaccordance with SOI technology, and thus the semiconductor material ofthe semiconductor body is Si. An integer N identifies the number ofthrow ports 16 in the first set of throw ports 16 of the MTSTS 12. Theinteger N may be any integer greater than one (1). In alternativeembodiments, the MTSTS 12 may include other sets of throw ports similarto the throw ports 16. Furthermore, the MTSTS 12 is shown with the throwport 16-3 coupled to the MTMEMS 14. As explained in further detailbelow, the other throw ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N may be coupled to otherupstream and/or downstream RF circuits. For example, the other throwports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N may be coupled to other MTSTSs (like the MTSTS 12shown in FIG. 1) other MTMEMSs (like the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIG. 1), RFtransceiver ports, RF transceiver circuitry, duplexers, transmit chains,receiver chains, digital-to-analog converters, and/or the like. Also,the MTSTS 12 shown in FIG. 1 is a single pole (SP) MTSTS. However, theMTSTS 12 may include any number of pole ports. For instance, asexplained in further detail below, multiple antenna ports and multipleantennas may be coupled to the pole ports so that they can beselectively coupled to the throw ports 22 of the MTMEMS 14 and/oranother set of throw ports.

In FIG. 1, the MTMEMS 14 may be on the same semiconductor substrate 40as the MTSTS 12 or on a different substrate. In this embodiment, theMTMEMS 14 is formed on a substrate 42. The substrate 42 may be asemiconductor substrate, a glass substrate, a polymer substrate, a metalsubstrate, a ceramic substrate, and/or the like. The substrate body maythus be formed of a suitable corresponding material or correspondingmaterials. Furthermore, metallic layers may be formed on a top, within,and/or on a bottom of the substrate body to provide terminals, traces,coils, connections, contact pads, passive impedance elements, activecomponents, and/or the like. An integer M identifies the number of throwports 22 in the second set of throw ports 22 of the MTMEMS 14. Theinteger M may be any integer greater than one (1). In alternativeembodiments, the MTMEMS 14 may include other sets of throw ports similarto the throw ports 22.

The MTMEMS 14 is shown with the pole port 24 coupled to the MTSTS 12.The other throw ports 22 may be coupled to other upstream and/ordownstream RF circuits. For example, the other throw ports 22 may becoupled to other MTSTSs (like the MTSTS 12 shown in FIG. 1), otherMTMEMSs (like the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIG. 1), RF transceiver ports, RFtransceiver circuitry, duplexers, transmit chains, receiver chains,digital-to-analog converters, and/or the like. Also, the MTMEMS 14 shownin FIG. 1 is an SPMTMEMS. However, the MTMEMS 14 may include any numberof pole ports and other sets of throw ports.

FIG. 2 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includesanother embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 44. The antennaswitching circuitry 44 in FIG. 2 is the same as the antenna switchingcircuitry 10 shown in FIG. 1, except that the antenna switchingcircuitry 44 further includes a control circuit 46. The control circuit46 is operably associated with the MTSTS 12 and the MTMEMS 14. Thecontrol circuit 46 is operable to generate a switch control output 48that controls the MTSTS 12.

More specifically, the switch control output 48 includes the switchcontrol signals 28. By generating the switch control output 48 with theswitch control signals 28, the control circuit 46 is configured tocontrol the selective coupling of the pole port 18 to any one of thethrow ports 16 in the first set of throw ports 16. In response to thecontrol circuit 46 generating the switch control output 48, either thepole port 18 may be selectively coupled to one of the throw ports 16 ormay be decoupled from all of the throw ports 16.

To couple the pole port 24 of the MTMEMS 14 to the pole port 18 and theantenna port 20, the control circuit 46 is configured to generate theswitch control output 48 such that the pole port 18 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 16-3. Accordingly, the control circuit 46generates the switch control output 48 such that the transistor 26-3 isturned on and closes the path from the pole port 18 to the throw port16-3. Furthermore, the switch control output 48 is generated such thatthe paths to the throw ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N are open, and thus, thethrow ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N are decoupled from the pole port 18.

In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 generates the switch controloutput 48 such that the switch control signal 28-3 is in the activationstate and each of the switch control signals 28-1, 28-2, 28-N is in thedeactivation state. In addition, the control circuit 46 may generate theswitch control output 48 so that the pole port 18 is decoupled from thethrow port 16-3, and thus from the pole port 24 of the MTMEMS 14. Inthis case, the switch control output 48 is generated such that theswitch control signal 28-3 is in the deactivation state. The controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 48 so that any of theother throw ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N are selectively coupled, or none ofthe other throw ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-N, is selectively coupled to thepole port 18.

As mentioned above, the MTSTS 12 is configured to selectively couple thepole port 18 to any of the throw ports 16. Accordingly, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to generate the switch control output 48 sothat the switch control output 48 may be in different switch controloutput permutations. The MTSTS 12 is responsive to the switch controloutput 48 so as to selectively couple the pole port 18 to one of thethrow ports 16 in accordance with the particular switch control outputpermutation of the switch control output 48. For example, the MTSTS 12selectively couples the pole port 18 to the throw port 16-1 anddecouples the pole port 18 from the other throw ports 16-2, 16-3, 16-Nin response to the switch control output 48 having a switch controloutput permutation P16-1. Additionally, the MTSTS 12 selectively couplesthe pole port 18 to the throw port 16-2 and decouples the pole port 18from the other throw ports 16-1, 16-3, 16-N in response to the switchcontrol output 48 having a switch control output permutation P16-2.Also, the MTSTS 12 selectively couples the pole port 18 to the throwport 16-3 and decouples the pole port 18 from the other throw ports16-1, 16-2, 16-N in response to the switch control output 48 having aswitch control output permutation P16-3. Furthermore, the MTSTS 12selectively couples the pole port 18 to the throw port 16-N anddecouples the pole port 18 from the other throw ports 16-1, 16-2, 16-3in response to the switch control output 48 having a switch controloutput permutation P16-N. Finally, the MTSTS 12 is configured todecouple all of the throw ports 16 from the pole port 18 in response tothe switch control output 48 being generated by the control circuit 46to have a switch control output permutation P16-CL.

Table I below indicates which paths from the throw ports 16 to the poleport 18 are closed or open as a result of the different switch controloutput permutations P16-1, P16-2, P16-3, P16-N, P16-CL, and alsoindicates the states of the switch control signals 28 for the differentswitch control output permutations P16-1, P-16-2, P16-3, P16-N, P16-CL.

TABLE I Switch Control Output 48 State of the Activation State PathsFrom Throw (AS)/Deactivation State Ports 16 to Pole Port 18 (DS) ofSwitch Control Closed (C)/Open (O) Signals 28 Permutation 16-1 16-2 16-316-N 28-1 28-2 28-3 28-N P16-1 C O O O AS DS DS DS P16-2 O C O O DS ASDS DS P16-3 O O C O DS DS AS DS P16-N O O O C DS DS DS AS P16-CL O O O ODS DS DS DS

The control circuit 46 is also configured to control the MTMEMS 14 so asto control the selective coupling of the pole port 24 in the MTMEMS 14to the throw ports 22. To do this, the control circuit 46 is configuredto generate a switch control output 50. As with the switch controloutput 48, the control circuit 46 is configured to generate the switchcontrol output 50 in accordance with the throw port 22 to be selectivelycoupled to the pole port 24. As such, the control circuit 46 isconfigured to generate the switch control output 50 so that the switchcontrol output 50 has different switch control output permutations inaccordance with the throw port 22 to be selectively coupled to the poleport 24. The MTMEMS 14 selectively couples the pole port 24 to the throwport 22-1 and decouples the pole port 24 from the throw ports 22-2,22-3, 22-M in response to the switch control output 50 having a switchcontrol output permutation P22-1. The MTMEMS 14 selectively couples thepole port 24 to the throw port 22-2 and decouples the pole port 24 fromthe throw ports 22-1, 22-3, 22-M in response to the switch controloutput 50 having a switch control output permutation P22-2. The MTMEMS14 selectively couples the pole port 24 to the throw port 22-3 anddecouples the pole port 24 from the throw ports 22-1, 22-2, 22-M inresponse to the switch control output 50 having a switch control outputpermutation P22-3. The MTMEMS 14 selectively couples the pole port 24 tothe throw port 22-M and decouples the pole port 24 from the throw ports22-1, 22-2, 22-3 in response to the switch control output 50 having aswitch control output permutation P22-M. The MTMEMS 14 decouples all ofthe throw ports 22 from the pole port 24 in response to the switchcontrol output 50 having a switch control output permutation P22-CL.

Table II below indicates which paths from the throw ports 22 to the poleport 24 are opened and closed as a result of the state of the switchcontrol signals 38, and also indicates the states of the switch controlsignals 38 for the different switch control output permutations P22-1,P22-2, P22-3, P22-M, and P22-CL.

TABLE II Switch Control Output 50 State of the Activation State PathsFrom Throw (AS)/Deactivation State Ports 22 to Pole Port 24 (DS) ofSwitch Control Closed (C)/Open (O) Signals 38 Permutation 22-1 22-2 22-322-M 38-1 38-2 38-3 38-M P22-1 C O O O AS DS DS DS P22-2 O C O O DS ASDS DS P22-3 O O C O DS DS AS DS P22-M O O O C DS DS DS AS P22-CL O O O ODS DS DS DS

In this embodiment, the throw ports 22 of the MTMEMS 14 are coupled toRF transceiver circuitry (not shown). The throw port 22-1 is coupled totransmit an RF receive signal RX1 to a receiver chain (not shown) withinthe RF transceiver circuitry. The throw port 22-2 is coupled to receivean RF transmission signal TX1 from a transmit chain in the RFtransceiver circuitry. The throw port 22-3 is coupled to both a receiverchain and a transmit chain within the RF transceiver circuitry. Thus,the throw port 22-3 both transmits an RF receive signal RXA to thereceiver chain and receives an RF transmission signal TXA from thetransmit chain in the RF transceiver circuitry. The throw port 22-M isalso coupled to the receiver chain in the RF transceiver circuitry. Thethrow port 22-M thus transmits an RF receive signal RXM to the receiverchain in the RF transceiver circuitry.

The RF signals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, and RXM may each be any type of RFsignal. As such, the RF signals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, and RXM may beformatted in accordance with any RF communication standard or any RFcommunication specification within the RF communication standard. Forexample, the RF signals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, and RXM may be formatted inaccordance with 2G Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)standards, 3G standards, LTE standards, and/or the like.

Additionally, the RF signals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, and RXM may be duplexedand/or multiplexed in accordance with different RF communicationspecifications defined by an RF communication standard, and may thus beprovided within the RF communication bands defined by the RFcommunication specifications of the RF communication standard. Forinstance, the RF signals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, RXM may be formatted inaccordance with specifications of the 2G GSM standard (such as a DigitalCommunication System (DCS) specification, a Personal CommunicationsService (PCS) specification), GSM specifications, Enhanced Data Ratesfor GSM Evolution (EDGE) specifications of the 3G standard, anddifferent specifications of the LTE standard. Furthermore, the RFsignals RX1, TX1, RXA, TXA, RXM may be duplexed in accordance with TDD,FDD, Space Division Multiplexing (SDM), Code Division Multiple AccessMultiplexing (CDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple AccessMultiplexing (OFDMA), MIMO, and/or the like.

In this embodiment, the RF receive signal RX1 and the RF transmissionsignal TX1 are both formatted in accordance with different LTE-TDDspecifications, and are each within a different RF communication band.The RF transmission signal TXA and the RF receive signal RXA are bothduplexed in accordance with an LTE-FDD specification, and are providedwithin a transmission band and a receive band of an RF communicationband defined by the LTE-FDD specification. The RF receive signal RXM isa receive MIMO signal and is formatted in accordance with a MIMOspecification.

As shown in FIG. 2, the throw port 16-1 is operable to receive an RFtransmission signal TX2. The RF transmission signal TX2 is an RFtransmission signal provided within the same RF communication band asthe RF receive signal RX1. Thus, the RF transmission signal TX2 is alsoan LTE-TDD-type signal. The throw port 16-2 is operable to receive an RFreceive signal RX2. The RF receive signal RX2 is a corresponding RFreceive signal for the RF communication band of the RF transmissionsignal TX1. Thus, the RF receive signal RX2 is also an LTE-TDD-typesignal.

The control circuit 46 is operable in both a first LTE-TDD mode and asecond LTE-TDD mode. In the first LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46controls the MTSTS 12 and the MTMEMS 14 in accordance with performancemetrics defined by the LTE-TDD specification for the RF transmissionsignal TX2 and the RF receive signal RX1. As such, the control circuit46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14 such that the poleport 24 is selectively coupled to the throw port 22-1. To initiateoperation in the first LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 generatesthe switch control output 50 so that the switch control output 50 hasthe switch control permutation P22-1 (see Table II). The switch controloutput 50 is maintained by the control circuit 46 so as to have theswitch control permutation P22-1 so long as the control circuit 46 is inthe first LTE-TDD mode and the control circuit 46 is not transitioningto another mode.

For TDD operation, the RF transmission signal TX2 and the RF receivesignal RX1 are separated in the time domain such that each is providedin accordance with time slots defined by the LTE-TDD specification forthe RF transmission signal TX2 and the RF receive signal RX1. Thus,during each of the time slots designated for the RF receive signal RX1in the first LTE-TDD mode, the RF receive signal RX1 is received by theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 and is transmitted to the throw port22-1. Similarly, during each of the time slots designated for the RFtransmission signal TX2 in the first LTE-TDD mode, the RF transmissionsignal TX2 is received at the throw port 16-1 and is transmitted by theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20. The timing requirements of the timeslots for the RF receive signal RX1 and the time slots for the RFtransmission signal TX2 are defined by the LTE-TDD specification.

The time slots for the RF transmission signal TX2 and the RF receivesignal RX1 may be approximately temporally mutually exclusive so thateach of the RF transmission signal TX2 and the RF receive signal RX1 isbeing transmitted and received by the antenna ANT1 at different times.During a time slot for the RF receive signal RX1, and while the controlcircuit 46 is in the first LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 controlsthe selective coupling of the MTSTS 12 so that the pole port 18 isselectively coupled to the throw port 16-3. More specifically, thecontrol circuit 46 generates the switch control output 48 so that theswitch control output 48 is provided in accordance with the permutationP16-3 during the time slot for the RF receive signal RX1. Accordingly,the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, and the pole port 18 are coupledto the throw port 22-1 such that the RF receive signal RX1 may bereceived by the antenna ANT1 and transmitted from the throw port 22-1 tothe receiver chain in the RF transceiver circuitry. Furthermore, thepole port 18 is decoupled from the throw port 16-1 during the time slotfor the RF receive signal RX1 because the switch control output 48 isgenerated in accordance with the switch control output permutationP16-3. Alternatively, a half-duplexing may be defined by the LTE-TDDspecification, and thus time slots for the RF receive signal RX1 and theRF transmission signal TX2 may partially overlap.

During a time slot for the RF transmission signal TX2 and during thefirst LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 decouples the pole port 18from the throw port 16-3 and controls the selective coupling of theMTSTS 12 such that the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throwport 16-1. More specifically, the control circuit 46 generates theswitch control output 48 such that the switch control output 48 isprovided in accordance with the switch control output permutation P16-1(see Table I). However, the control circuit 46 still generates theswitch control output 50 so that the pole port 24 remains selectivelycoupled to the throw port 22-1 (see Table II).

Thus, while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE-TDD mode, theswitch control output 48 is generated in accordance with the switchcontrol output permutation P16-1 and the switch control output 50 isgenerated in accordance with the switch control output permutation P22-1during the time slot for the RF transmission signal TX2. Also, the RFtransmission signal TX2 is received at the throw port 16-1 and istransmitted from the pole port 18 to the antenna port 20, and by theantenna ANT1. While the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE-TDD mode,the procedures described above with respect to the RF receive signal RX1are repeated by the control circuit 46 during each time slot for the RFreceive signal RX1. Similarly, the procedures described above withrespect to the RF transmission signal TX2 are repeated by the controlcircuit 46 for each time slot of the RF transmission signal TX2.

Note that while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE-TDD mode, thecontrol circuit 46 maintains the pole port 24 selectively coupled to thethrow port 22-1, and the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the pole port 18 so that the pole port 18 is switched fromthe throw port 16-1 to the throw port 16-3 in accordance with the timeslots for transmission and reception defined by the LTE-TDDspecification of the RF receive signal RX1 and the RF transmissionsignal TX2. Since the control circuit 46 switches the MTSTS 12, and notthe MTMEMS 14, while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE-TDDmode, the amount of switching required by the MTMEMS 14 and the MEMS30-1 may be significantly reduced, thereby extending the life of theMEMS 30-1 and the MTMEMS 14.

To terminate the first LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 may decouplethe pole port 18 from the throw port 16-3 if a final time slot was forthe RF receive signal RX1. The control circuit 46 decouples the poleport 18 from the throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12 before the controlcircuit 46 decouples the pole port 24 from the throw port 22-1 of theMTMEMS 14. This helps prevent or reduce hot switching and helps toextend the life of the MEMS 30-1 and the MTMEMS 14. For example, thecontrol circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 48 inaccordance with one of the switch control output permutations P16-2 orP16-CL. After the pole port 18 has been decoupled from the throw port16-3 of the MTSTS 12, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the MTMEMS 14 to decouple the pole port 24 from the throwport 22-1 of the MTMEMS 14. For example, the control circuit 46 maygenerate the switch control output 50 in accordance with one of theswitch control output permutations P22-2 or P22-M. Otherwise, if thefinal time slot is for the RF transmission signal TX2, the controlcircuit 46 may immediately decouple the throw port 22-1 from the poleport 24, or alternatively, may first decouple the pole port 18 from allof the throw ports 16 and then decouple the throw port 22-1 from thepole port 24.

In the second LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14 such that the pole port 24 isselectively coupled to the throw port 22-2. The control circuit 46generates the switch control output 50 so that the switch control output50 has the switch control permutation P22-2 (see Table II). The switchcontrol output 50 is maintained so as to have the switch controlpermutation P22-2 while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDDmode. For TDD operation, the RF transmission signal TX1 and the RFreceive signal RX2 are separated in the time domain such that each isprovided in accordance with time slots defined by an LTE-TDDspecification for their RF communication band. Thus, in the secondLTE-TDD mode, the RF transmission signal TX1 is received by the throwport 22-2 and is transmitted by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20during the time slots designated for the RF transmission signal TX1 bythe LTE-TDD specification of the RF transmission signal TX1 and the RFreceive signal RX2. Similarly, the RF receive signal RX2 is receivedfrom the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 and transmitted to thethrow port 16-2 during the time slots designated by the LTE-TDD standardof the RF transmission signal TX1 and the RF receive signal RX2. Thetime slots for the RF transmission signal TX1 and the RF receive signalRX2 may be approximately temporally mutually exclusive so that each ofthe RF transmission signal TX1 and the RF receive signal RX2 is beingtransmitted and received by the antenna ANT1 at different times.

During each of the time slots for the RF transmission signal TX1, andwhile the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDD mode, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12 so that thepole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 during a timeslot for the RF transmission signal TX1. More specifically, the controlcircuit 46 generates the switch control output 48 so that the switchcontrol output 48 is provided in accordance with the switch controloutput permutation P16-3 (see Table I) during a time slot for the RFtransmission signal TX1. Accordingly, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port20, and the pole port 18 are coupled to the throw port 22-2 such thatthe RF transmission signal TX1 is received by the throw port 22-2 from atransmit chain in the RF transceiver circuitry and is transmitted by theantenna ANT1. Furthermore, the pole port 18 is decoupled from the throwport 16-2 during the time slot for the RF transmission signal TX1because the switch control output 48 is generated in accordance with theswitch control output permutation P16-3.

During a time slot for the RF receive signal RX2 and during the secondLTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 decouples the pole port 18 from thethrow port 16-3 and controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12 suchthat the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-2.More specifically, the control circuit 46 generates the switch controloutput 48 such that the switch control output 48 is provided inaccordance with the switch control output permutation P16-2. However,the control circuit 46 still generates the switch control output 50 sothat the pole port 24 remains selectively coupled to the throw port22-2. Thus, while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDD mode,the switch control output 48 is generated in accordance with the switchcontrol output permutation P16-2 and the switch control output 50 isgenerated in accordance with the switch control output permutation P22-2during the time slot for the RF receive signal RX2. Thus, the RF receivesignal RX2 is received from the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 andis transmitted to the throw port 16-2 during the time slot for the RFreceive signal RX2. While the control circuit 46 is in the secondLTE-TDD mode, the switch control output 48 is generated in the switchcontrol output permutation P16-3 so that the pole port 18 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 16-3 and is decoupled from the throw port 16-2during each of the time slots for the RF transmission signal TX1.Similarly, while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDD mode,the switch control output 48 is generated in the switch controlpermutation P16-2 so that the pole port 18 is selectively coupled to thethrow port 16-2 during each of the time slots for the RF receive signalRX2.

Note that while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDD mode,the control circuit 46 maintains the pole port 24 selectively coupled tothe throw port 22-2, and the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the pole port 18 so that the pole port 18 is switchedbetween the throw port 16-2 and the throw port 16-3 in accordance withthe time slots for transmission and reception defined by the LTE-TDDspecification of the RF receive signal RX2 and the RF transmissionsignal TX1. Since the control circuit 46 switches the MTSTS 12, and notthe MTMEMS 14, while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE-TDDmode, the amount of switching required by the MTMEMS 14 and the MEMS30-2 may be significantly reduced, thereby extending the life of theMEMS 30-2 and the MTMEMS 14.

To terminate the second LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 maydecouple the pole port 18 from the throw port 16-3 if a final time slotwas for the RF transmission signal TX1. The control circuit 46 decouplesthe pole port 18 from the throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12 before thecontrol circuit 46 decouples the pole port 24 from the throw port 22-2of the MTMEMS 14. This helps to prevent or reduce hot switching andhelps extend the life of the MEMS 30-2 and the MTMEMS 14. For example,the control circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 48 inaccordance with one of the switch control output permutations P16-1,P16-N, or P16-CL. After the pole port 18 has been decoupled from thethrow port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14 to decouple the pole port 24 fromthe throw port 22-2 of the MTMEMS 14. For example, the control circuit46 may generate the switch control output 50 in accordance with one ofthe switch control output permutations P22-1, P22-3, or P22-M.

In this embodiment, the RF transmission signal TXA and the RF receivesignal RXA are each formatted in accordance with an LTE-FDDspecification. Thus, the RF transmission signal TXA and the RF receivesignal RXA are provided within the RF communication band defined by theLTE-FDD mode. The RF receive signal RXA and the RF transmission signalTXA are separated within the frequency domain by two different carrierfrequencies, one within a transmission band of the RF communicationband, and one within a receive band of the RF communication band.

The control circuit 46 is further operable in an LTE-FDD mode. While thecontrol circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12 such that the pole port18 is selectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12. Inaddition, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of theMTMEMS 14 such that the pole port 24 is selectively coupled to the throwport 22-3. More specifically, the control circuit 46 generates theswitch control output 48 such that the switch control output 48 isprovided in accordance with the switch control output permutation P16-3,and generates the switch control output 50 such that the switch controloutput 50 is generated in accordance with the switch control outputpermutation P22-3 while the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode.As such, the RF receive signal RXA may be received and the RFtransmission signal TXA may be transmitted simultaneously by the antennaANT1 at the antenna port 20, while the control circuit 46 is in theLTE-FDD mode. Thus, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, the pole port18, and the throw port 22-3 are coupled while the control circuit 46 isin the LTE-FDD mode. Therefore, the RF receive signal RXA may betransmitted from the throw port 22-3 and the RF transmission signal TXAmay be received at the throw port 22-3 simultaneously while the controlcircuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode.

To terminate the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit 46 may initiallydecouple the pole port 18 from the throw port 16-3. The control circuit46 decouples the pole port 18 from the throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12before the control circuit 46 decouples the pole port 24 from the throwport 22-3 of the MTMEMS 14. For example, the control circuit 46 maygenerate the switch control output 48 in accordance with one of theswitch control output permutations P16-1, P16-2, P16-N, or P16-CL. Afterthe pole port 18 has been decoupled from the throw port 16-3 of theMTSTS 12, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of theMTMEMS 14 to decouple the pole port 24 from the throw port 22-3 of theMTMEMS 14. This helps prevent or reduce hot switching and helps extendthe life of the MEMS 30-3 and the MTMEMS 14. For example, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50 in accordance withone of the switch control output permutations P22-1, P22-2, or P22-CL.

The control circuit 46 is also configured to operate in a MIMO mode. Asshown in FIG. 2, the throw port 22-M of the MTMEMS 14 is operable tooutput the receive MIMO signal RXM to a MIMO receiver chain (not shown)within the RF transceiver circuitry. The control circuit 46 isconfigured to operate in the MIMO mode. While the control circuit 46 isin the MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 is configured to control theselective coupling of the MTSTS 12 such that the pole port 18 isselectively coupled to the throw port 16-3 of the MTSTS 12. The controlcircuit 46 is also configured to selectively couple the pole port 24 tothe throw port 22-M of the MTMEMS 14. Accordingly, the receive MIMOsignal RXM is received by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 andtransmitted from the throw port 22-M of the MTMEMS 14 to the MIMOreceiver chain in the RF transceiver circuitry. Thus, while the controlcircuit 46 is in the MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 may generate theswitch control output 48 in accordance with the switch control outputpermutation P16-3 and the switch control output 50 in accordance withthe switch control output permutation P22-M in order to receive thereceive MIMO signal RXM on the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20, andmay transmit the receive MIMO signal RXM from the throw port 22-M to theMIMO receiver chain. Note, however, that the receive MIMO mode may bedynamic, and while the control circuit 46 is in the MIMO mode, otherreceive MIMO signals or transmission MIMO signals may be received and/ortransmitted by the antenna ANT1 and transmitted and/or received from thethrow port 22-M simultaneously or non-simultaneously with the receiveMIMO signal RXM.

Also, the antenna ANT1 and the antenna port 20 may be decoupled from thethrow port 22-M under certain circumstances defined by a MIMOspecification that corresponds to the MIMO mode. However, under thesecircumstances, the decoupling may be performed by the MTSTS 12, wherethe switch control output 50 is maintained in the switch control outputpermutation P22-M, while the switch control output permutation of theswitch control output 48 may be changed. For example, the switch controloutput 48 may be generated in accordance with the switch control outputpermutation P16-CL and the antenna port 20 may be decoupled from all ofthe throw ports 16-1-16-N. The termination of the MIMO mode by thecontrol circuit 46 may decouple the pole port 18 from the throw port16-3 and then decouple the pole port 24 from the throw port 22-M.

FIG. 3 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includes yetanother embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 52. In thisembodiment, the antenna switching circuitry 52 includes one embodimentof an MTSTS 12(1). The MTSTS 12(1) shown in FIG. 3 is similar to theMTSTS 12 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, in this embodiment, the MTSTS12(1) is configured to selectively couple a pole port 18(1) with any oneof a set of throw ports (referred to generically as elements 16(1), andspecifically as 16(1)-1, 16(1)-2, 16(1)-3, 16(1)-N−1, 16(1)-N). The poleport 18(1) is coupled to the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1. Inthis embodiment, the throw port 16(1)-N is coupled to ground and is thusa grounded throw port. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the antennaswitching circuitry 52 includes an MTMEMS 14(1)(A) and an MTMEMS14(1)(B). The MTMEMS 14(1)(A) is similar to the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIGS.1 and 2, but in this embodiment, the integer M is equal to 7 and theMTMEMS 14(1)(A) includes a pole port 24(1)(A) and a set of throw ports(referred to generically as elements 22(1)(A), and specifically aselements 22(1)(A)-1-22(1)(A)-7). The antenna switching circuitry 52 alsoincludes an MTMEMS 14(1)(B). The MTMEMS 14(1)(B) includes a pole port24(1)(B) and a set of throw ports (referred to generically as elements22(1)(B), and specifically as elements 22(1)(B)-1-22(1)(B)-3). Thus, theMTMEMS 14(1)(B) is the same as the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,where the integer M is equal to 3. In this embodiment, the pole port24(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) is coupled to the throw port 16(1)-2,while the pole port 24(1)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) is coupled to thethrow port 16(1)-3 of the MTSTS 12(1). The MTMEMS 14(1)(A) is configuredto selectively couple the pole port 24(1)(A) to any one of the throwports 22(1)(A) in the same manner as described above with respect to theMTMEMS 14 of FIG. 1. Similarly, the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) is configured toselectively couple the pole port 24(1)(B) to any one of the throw ports22(1)(B) in the same manner as described above with respect to FIGS. 1and 2.

FIG. 3 also illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the control circuit46. In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 includes a mastersubcontroller 54, a transistor switch subcontroller 56, and a MEMSsubcontroller 58. The master subcontroller 54, the transistor switchsubcontroller 56, and the MEMS subcontroller 58 may each be MobileIndustry Processor Interface (MIPI) subcontrollers. The mastersubcontroller 54 is a master MIPI. The transistor switch subcontroller56 is configured to control the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1) asa slave MIPI subcontroller. The MEMS subcontroller 58 is configured tocontrol the selective coupling of both the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) and theMTMEMS 14(1)(B) as a slave MIPI subcontroller. The master subcontroller54 may be communicatively associated with the MEMS subcontroller 58 andthe transistor switch subcontroller 56 through a communication bus, suchas a MIPI communication bus.

The master subcontroller 54 is configured to receive a control modeinput 60 that is indicative of a particular mode of operation of theantenna switching circuitry 52. In accordance with the control modeinput 60, the master subcontroller 54 may generate a transistor switchcontrol mode output 62 and a MEMS switch control mode output 64 inresponse to the control mode input 60. The master subcontroller 54 maytransmit the transistor switch control mode output 62 to the transistorswitch subcontroller 56 via the communication bus, such as the MIPIcommunication bus. The transistor switch subcontroller 56 generates aswitch control output 48(1) in accordance with the transistor switchcontrol mode output 62. The switch control output 48(1) is analogous tothe switch control output 48 described above with respect to FIG. 2. TheMEMS subcontroller 58 is configured to generate a switch control output50(1) and a switch control output 50(2) in response to the MEMS switchcontrol mode output 64. The switch control output 50(1) is analogous tothe switch control output 50 described above with respect to FIG. 2, andoperates to selectively couple the pole port 24(1)(A) of the MTMEMS14(1)(A) to one of the throw ports 22(1)(A). The switch control output50(2) is also analogous to the switch control output 50 described abovewith respect to FIG. 2, and is operable to selectively couple the poleport 24(1)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) to one of the throw ports 22(1)(B).

Each of the throw ports 22(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) and the throwports 22(1)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) is coupled to RF transceivercircuitry (not shown) so as to transmit and/or receive RF signals. Morespecifically, the throw ports 22(1)(A)-1, 22(1)(A)-2, 22(1)(A)-3,22(1)(A)-4, 22(1)(A)-5, 22(1)(A)-6, 22(1)(A)-7 each receive one of RFtransmission signals TXTDD1, TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, TXTDD6,TXFDD7, respectively. Each of the RF transmission signals TXTDD1,TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, TXTDD6 may be provided in different RFcommunication bands and may be formatted in accordance with differentLTE-TDD specifications for those RF communication bands. The RFtransmission signal TXFDD7 is received from a transmit chain in the RFtransceiver circuitry at the throw port 22(1)(A)-7. The RF transmissionsignal TXFDD7 is formatted in accordance with an LTE-FDD specification.As such, an RF receive signal RXFDD7 is transmitted to a receiver chainand is formatted in accordance with the LTE-FDD specification for the RFtransmission signal TXFDD7. Accordingly, in this embodiment, the RFtransmission signals TXTDD1, TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, TXTDD6formatted in accordance with the LTE-TDD specifications are grouped withthe RF transmission signal TXFDD7 and the RF receive signal RXFDD7formatted in accordance with the LTE-FDD specification.

The throw ports 22(1)(B)-1, 22(1)(B)-2, 22(1)(B)-3 each transmit RFreceive signals RXTDD1, RXTDD2, RXTDD3 to receiver chains in the RFtransceiver circuitry. In this embodiment, the RF receive signal RXTDD1is formatted in accordance with the LTE-TDD specification of the RFtransmission signal TXTDD1. Also, the RF receive signal RXTDD2 isformatted in accordance with the LTE-TDD specification of the RFtransmission signal TXTDD2. Furthermore, the RF receive signal RXTDD3 isformatted in accordance with the LTE-TDD specification of the RFtransmission signal TXTDD3. The control circuit 46 may operate invarious LTE-TDD modes to comply with the requirements for the differentLTE-TDD specifications.

In one of the LTE-TDD modes, the control circuit 46 controls the MTSTS12(1), the MTMEMS 14(1)(A), and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) in accordance withperformance metrics defined by the LTE-TDD specification for the RFtransmission signal TXTDD1 and the RF receive signal RXTDD1. As such,the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(A) such that the pole port 24(1)(A) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 22(1)(A)-1. To initiate operation in the LTE-TDD mode, thecontrol circuit 46 generates the switch control output 50(1) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(A)being selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(A)-1. The switchcontrol output 50(1) is maintained by the control circuit 46 so as tohave this switch control output permutation so long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the LTE-TDD mode and the control circuit 46 is nottransitioning to another mode.

The control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(B) such that the pole port 24(1)(B) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 22(1)(B)-1. To initiate operation in the LTE-TDD mode, thecontrol circuit 46 generates the switch control output 50(2) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(B)being selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(B)-1. The switchcontrol output 50(2) is maintained by the control circuit 46 so as tohave this switch control output permutation so long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the LTE-TDD mode and the control circuit 46 is nottransitioning to another mode. Thus, while the control circuit 46 is inthe LTE-TDD mode, the pole port 24(1)(B) and the pole port 24(1)(A) aresimultaneously maintained selectively coupled to the throw port22(1)(B)-1 and throw port 22(1)(A)-1, respectively.

During each of the time slots in the LTE-TDD mode designated for the RFreceive signal RXTDD1, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the MTSTS 12(1) so that the pole port 18(1) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 16(1)-3. The RF receive signal RXTDD1 isreceived by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 and is transmittedto the throw port 22(1)(B)-1. Similarly, during each of the time slotsin the LTE-TDD mode designated for the RF transmission signal TXTDD1,the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS12(1) so that the pole port 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throwport 16(1)-2. Thus, the RF transmission signal TXTDD1 is received at thethrow port 22(1)(A)-1 and is transmitted by the antenna ANT1 at theantenna port 20. The timing requirements of the time slots for the RFreceive signal RXTDD1 and the time slots of the RF transmission signalTXTDD1 are defined by the LTE-TDD standard.

To terminate the LTE-TDD mode, the control circuit 46 may initiallydecouple the pole port 18(1) from the throw ports 16(1)-2 and 16(1)-3.For example, the control circuit 46 may selectively couple the pole port18(1) of the MTSTS 12(1) to the throw port 16(1)-N because the throwport 16(1)-N is grounded. After the pole port 18(1) has been decoupledfrom the throw ports 16(1)-2 and 16(1)-3, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) to decouple thepole port 24(1)(A) from the throw port 22(1)(A)-1 of the MTMEMS14(1)(A). The control circuit 46 also controls the selective coupling ofthe MTMEMS 14(1)(B) to decouple the pole port 24(1)(B) from the throwport 22(1)(B)-1 of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) after the pole port 18(1) hasbeen decoupled from the throw ports 16(1)-2 and 16(1)-3.

The control circuit 46 is further operable in an LTE-FDD mode. In thisembodiment, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 is received by the throwport 22(1)(A)-7 from a transmit chain and the RF receive signal RXFDD7is transmitted from the throw port 22(1)(A)-7 to an RF receive chain.The RF transmission signal TXFDD7 and the RF receive signal RXFDD7 areformatted in accordance with the LTE-FDD specification.

While the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1) such that the poleport 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 16(1)-3 of the MTSTS12(1), as in the first LTE-TDD mode. In addition, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) such that thepole port 24(1)(A) is selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(A)-7.As such, while the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the RFreceive signal RXFDD7 may be received, and the RF transmission signalTXFDD7 may be transmitted simultaneously by the antenna ANT1 at theantenna port 20. Thus, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, the poleport 18(1), and the throw port 22(1)(A)-7 are selectively coupled by thecontrol circuit 46. Therefore, the RF receive signal RXFDD7 may betransmitted from the throw port 22(1)(A)-7 and the RF transmissionsignal TXFDD7 may be received at the throw port 22(1)(A)-7simultaneously while the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode. Withregard to the MTMEMS 14(1)(B), the control circuit 46 decouples the poleport 24(1)(B) from all of the throw ports 22(1)(B).

To terminate the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit 46 may initiallydecouple the pole port 18(1) from the throw port 16(1)-3. The controlcircuit 46 decouples the pole port 18(1) from the throw port 16(1)-3 ofthe MTSTS 12(1) before the control circuit 46 decouples the pole port24(1)(A) from the throw port 22(1)(A)-7 of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A). Afterthe pole port 18(1) has been decoupled from the throw port 16(1)-3 ofthe MTSTS 12(1), the control circuit 46 controls the selective couplingof the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) to decouple the pole port 24(1)(A) from the throwport 22(1)(A)-7. This helps to prevent or reduce hot switching and helpsextend the life of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A).

FIG. 4 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includes yetanother embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 66, which may beprovided as RF front-end circuitry within an RF front-end module. Inthis embodiment, the antenna switching circuitry 66 includes the sameMTSTS 12(1) described above with respect to FIG. 3. In this embodiment,the antenna switching circuitry 66 includes an MTMEMS 14(2)(A) and anMTMEMS 14(2)(B). The MTMEMS 14(2)(A) is similar to the MTMEMS 14 shownin FIGS. 1 and 2, but in this embodiment, the integer M is equal to six(6) and the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) includes a pole port 24(2)(A) and a set ofthrow ports (referred to generically as elements 22(2)(A), andspecifically as elements 22(2)(A)-1-22(2)(A)-6).

The antenna switching circuitry 66 also includes the MTMEMS 14(2)(B).The MTMEMS 14(2)(B) includes a pole port 24(2)(B) and a set of throwports (referred to generically as elements 22(2)(B), and specifically aselements 22(2)(B)-ADD, 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3). Thus, theMTMEMS 14(2)(B) is the same as the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,where the integer M is equal to four (4). In this embodiment, the poleport 24(2)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) is coupled to the throw port16(1)-2, while the pole port 24(2)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) is coupledto the throw port 16(1)-3 of the MTSTS 12(1). The MTMEMS 14(2)(A) isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 24(2)(A) to any one ofthe throw ports 22(2)(A) in the same manner as described above withrespect to the MTMEMS 14 of FIGS. 1 and 2. Similarly, the MTMEMS14(2)(B) is configured to selectively couple the pole port 24(2)(B) toany one of the throw ports 22(2)(B) in the same manner as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The antenna switching circuitry 66 also includes the control circuit 46described above with respect to FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the MEMSsubcontroller 58 is configured to generate a switch control output 50(3)and a switch control output 50(4) in response to the MEMS switch controlmode output 64 generated by the master subcontroller 54. The switchcontrol output 50(3) is analogous to the switch control output 50described above with respect to FIG. 2, and operates to selectivelycouple the pole port 24(2)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) to one of the throwports 22(2)(A). The switch control output 50(4) is also analogous to theswitch control output 50 described above with respect to FIG. 2, and isoperable to selectively couple the pole port 24(2)(B) of the MTMEMS14(2)(B) to one of the throw ports 22(2)(B). Like the throw ports22(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) shown in FIG. 3, the throw ports22(2)(A)-1, 22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6each receive the RF transmission signals TXTDD1, TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4,TXTDD5, TXTDD6, respectively. Also, like the throw ports 22(1)(B) of theMTMEMS 14(1)(B) in FIG. 3, the throw ports 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2,22(2)(B)-3 of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) transmit the RF receive signalsRXTDD1, RXTDD2, RXTDD3. The control circuit 46 is operable in theLTE-TDD mode described above, where the throw ports 22(2)(A)-1,22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6 correspond tothe throw ports 22(2)(A)-1, 22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4,22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6 in FIG. 3, respectively. Also, with regard to theLTE-TDD mode, the throw ports 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3correspond to the throw ports 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3 in FIG.3, respectively.

The control circuit 46 is further operable in another LTE-FDD mode. Asshown in FIG. 4, unlike the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) shown in FIG. 3, the MTMEMS14(2)(A) includes the additional throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD. In thisembodiment, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 is received by the throwport 22(2)(B)-ADD from a transmit chain and the RF receive signal RXFDD7is transmitted from the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD to a receiver chain.Accordingly, in this embodiment, the RF receive signals RXTDD1, RXTDD2,RXTDD3, which are formatted in accordance with the LTE-TDDspecifications, are grouped with the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 andthe RF receive signal RXFDD7, which are formatted in accordance with theLTE-FDD specification.

While the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1) such that the poleport 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 16(1)-3 of the MTSTS12(1). In addition, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) such that the pole port 24(2)(B) isselectively coupled to the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD. As such, while thecontrol circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the RF receive signal RXFDD7may be received, and the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 may betransmitted, simultaneously by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20.Thus, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, the pole port 18(1), andthe throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD are selectively coupled by the controlcircuit 46. Therefore, the RF receive signal RXFDD7 may be transmittedfrom the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD to a receiver chain in RF transceivercircuitry (not shown) and the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 may bereceived at the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD from a transmit chain in the RFtransceiver circuitry simultaneously while the control circuit 46 is inthe LTE-FDD mode.

To terminate the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit 46 may initiallydecouple the pole port 18(1) from the throw port 16(1)-3. The controlcircuit 46 decouples the pole port 18(1) from the throw port 16(1)-3 ofthe MTSTS 12(1) before the control circuit 46 decouples the pole port24(2)(B) from the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B). Afterthe pole port 18(1) has been decoupled from the throw port 16(1)-3 ofthe MTSTS 12(1), the control circuit 46 controls the selective couplingof the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) to decouple the pole port 24(2)(B) from the throwport 22(2)(B)-ADD of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B). This helps to prevent orreduce hot switching and helps extend the life of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B).

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of antenna switching circuitry68, which may be provided as RF front-end circuitry within an RFfront-end module. In this embodiment, the antenna switching circuitry 68also includes the MTSTS 12(1) described above with regard to FIG. 3.Furthermore, in this embodiment, the antenna switching circuitry 68includes an MTMEMS 14(3)(A) and an MTMEMS 14(3)(B). The MTMEMS 14(3)(A)is similar to the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in thisembodiment, the integer M is equal to seven (7) and the MTMEMS 14(3)(A)includes a pole port 24(3)(A) and a set of throw ports (referred togenerically as elements 22(3)(A), and specifically as elements22(3)(A)-1 to 22(3)(A)-7). The pole port 24(3)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(3)(A)is coupled to the throw port 16(1)-2 of the MTSTS 12(1).

Additionally, the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) includes a pole port 24(3)(B) and aset of throw ports (referred to generically as elements 22(3)(B), andspecifically as elements 22(3)(B)-CO, 22(3)(B)-1, 22(3)(B)-2,22(3)(B)-3). Thus, the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) is the same as the MTMEMS 14shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, where the integer M is equal to 4. In thisembodiment, the pole port 24(3)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) is coupled tothe throw port 16(1)-3 of the MTSTS 12(1). The MTMEMS 14(3)(A) isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 24(3)(A) to any one ofthe throw ports 22(3)(A) in the same manner as described above withrespect to the MTMEMS 14 of FIG. 1. Similarly, the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 24(3)(B) to any one ofthe throw ports 22(3)(B) in the same manner as described above withrespect to the MTMEMS 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The antenna switching circuitry 68 also includes the control circuit 46described above with respect to FIG. 2. In this embodiment, the MEMSsubcontroller 58 is configured to generate a switch control output 50(5)and a switch control output 50(6) in response to the MEMS switch controlmode output 64(3). The switch control output 50(5) is analogous to theswitch control output 50 described above with respect to FIG. 2, andoperates to selectively couple the pole port 24(3)(A) of the MTMEMS14(3)(A) to one of the throw ports 22(3)(A). The switch control output50(6) is also analogous to the switch control output 50 described abovewith respect to FIG. 2, and is operable to selectively couple the poleport 24(3)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) to one of the throw ports 22(3)(B).Like the throw ports 22(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) shown in FIG. 3,the throw ports 22(3)(A)-1, 22(3)(A)-2, 22(3)(A)-3, 22(3)(A)-4,22(3)(A)-5, 22(3)(A)-6, each receive the RF transmission signals TXTDD1,TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, and TXTDD6, respectively. Also, like thethrow ports 22(1)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) in FIG. 3, the throw ports22(3)(B)-1, 22(3)(B)-2, 22(3)(B)-3 of the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) transmit theRF receive signals RXTDD1, RXTDD2, RXTDD3. The control circuit 46 isoperable in the LTE-TDD mode described above, where the throw ports22(3)(A)-1, 22(3)(A)-2, 22(3)(A)-3, 22(3)(A)-4, 22(3)(A)-5, 22(3)(A)-6correspond to the throw ports 22(2)(A)-1, 22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3,22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6 in FIG. 3, respectively. Also, withregard to the LTE-TDD mode, the throw ports 22(3)(B)-1, 22(3)(B)-2,22(3)(B)-3 correspond to the throw ports 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2,22(2)(B)-3 in FIG. 3, respectively.

Similar to the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) in FIG. 3, the throw port 22(3)(A)-7 ofthe MTMEMS 14(3)(A) of FIG. 5 is operable to receive the RF transmissionsignal TXFDD7 from RF transceiver circuitry (not shown) and transmit theRF receive signal RXFDD7 to the RF transceiver circuitry. The controlcircuit 46 is thus operable in the LTE-FDD mode described above withrespect to FIG. 3. However, in this embodiment, the MTMEMS 14(3)(B)further includes a throw port 22(3)(B)-CO. The throw port 22(3)(B)-CO isdirectly connected to the throw port 22(3)(A)-7 of the MTMEMS 14(3)(C).The throw port 22(3)(B)-CO is coupled to receive an RF receive signalRXTDD-CO, which is formatted in accordance with an LTE-TDDspecification. Accordingly, in this embodiment, LTE-FDD signals andLTE-TDD signals have been co-banded and thus may utilize the some or allof the same circuitry in the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown). Morespecifically, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 and the RF receivesignal RXFDD7 are co-banded with the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO. Whilethe control circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1) such that the poleport 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 16(1)-2 of the MTSTS12(1). In addition, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the MTMEMS 14(3)(A) such that the pole port 24(3)(A) isselectively coupled to the throw port 22(3)(A)-7. As such, while thecontrol circuit 46 is in the LTE-FDD mode, the RF receive signal RXFDD7may be received, and the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 may betransmitted, simultaneously by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20.

On the other hand, in another LTE-TDD mode corresponding to the RFreceive signal RXTDD-CO, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) such that the pole port 24(3)(B) isselectively coupled to the throw port 22(3)(B)-CO. In addition, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1)such that the pole port 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throw port16(1)-3 of the MTSTS 12(1) during each of the time slots for the RFreceive signal RXTDD-CO. Thus, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20,the pole port 18(1), and the throw port 22(3)(B)-CO are selectivelycoupled by the control circuit 46, and the RF receive signal RXTDD-COmay be received by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 during eachof the time slots for reception of the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO. Also,outside of each of the time slots for reception of the RF receive signalRXTDD-CO, the control circuit 46 decouples the throw port 16(1)-3 formthe pole port 18(1).

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 6A, and 6B, FIG. 6 illustrates exemplary RFfront-end circuitry that includes another embodiment of antennaswitching circuitry 70. The antenna switching circuitry 70 is RFfront-end circuitry, which may be provided within an RF front-endmodule. As shown in FIG. 6A, the antenna switching circuitry 70 includesthe MTMEMS 14(2)(A) and the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) formed on the substrate 42shown in FIG. 4, but also includes an MTMEMS 14(1)(C), which is alsoformed on the substrate 42. In this embodiment, the antenna switchingcircuitry 70 includes front-end switching circuitry 72, which isillustrated in FIG. 6B. The front-end switching circuitry 72 includesthe MTSTS 12(1) described above with respect to FIGS. 3-5, but alsoincludes an MTSTS 12(2). The front-end switching circuitry is formedwith the semiconductor substrate 40.

With regard to the front-end switching circuitry 72 shown in FIG. 6B,the front-end switching circuitry 72 is configured to selectively coupleone or more RF transceiver ports to the antenna port 20 and one or moreRF transceiver ports to an antenna port 20′. The MTSTS 12(1) of thefront-end switching circuitry 72 is the same as described above withrespect to FIGS. 3-5. Additionally, the MTSTS 12(2) of the front-endswitching circuitry 72 is configured to selectively couple a pole port18(2) to any one of a set of throw ports (referred to generically aselements 16(2), and specifically as elements 16(2)-1, 16(2)-2, 16(2)-3,16(2)-N−1, 16(2)-N). The pole port 18(2) is coupled to the antenna port20′, and the antenna port 20′ is coupled to an antenna ANT2.

In this embodiment, the RF ports are the throw ports 16(1) of the MTSTS12(1) and the throw ports 16(2) of the MTSTS 12(2). In alternativeembodiments, the throw ports 16(1) and the throw ports 16(2) may each becoupled to RF ports, rather than being the RF ports. Also, inalternative embodiments, the pole port 18(1) may be the antenna port 20,rather than being coupled to the antenna port 20. Similarly, inalternative embodiments, the pole port 18(2) may be the antenna port20′, rather than being coupled to the antenna port 20′.

As shown in FIG. 6B, the antenna port 20 in this embodiment may only becoupled to one set of RF ports (in this example, the throw ports 16(1)),while the antenna port 20′ may only be coupled to a different set of RFports (in this example, the throw ports 16(2)). The antenna switchingcircuitry 70 further includes the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) and the MTMEMS14(2)(B) described above with respect to FIG. 4. Thus, like the antennaswitching circuitry 66 shown in FIG. 4, the throw ports 22(2)(A)-1,22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6 each receivethe RF transmission signals TXTDD1, TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, andTXTDD6, respectively. Also like the antenna switching circuitry 66 inFIG. 4, the throw ports 22(2)(B)-ADD, 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) transmit the RF receive signals RXFDD7, RXTDD1,RXTDD2, RXTDD3 to RF transceiver circuitry (not shown). The throw port22(2)(B)-ADD also receives the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 from the RFtransceiver circuitry, as discussed above.

The MTMEMS 14(1)(C) includes a set of throw ports (referred togenerically as elements 22(1)(C), and specifically as elements22(1)(C)-1, 22(1)(C)-2, 22(1)(C)-3, and 22(1)(C)-4) and a pole port24(1)(C). The throw ports 22(1)(C)-1, 22(1)(C)-2, 22(1)(C)-3, 22(1)(C)-4of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C) transmit RF receive signals RXMIMO1, RXMIMO2,RXMIMO3, RXMIMO4 to the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown). Each ofthe RF receive signals RXMIMO1, RXMIMO2, RXMIMO3, RXMIMO4 is a secondaryreceive MIMO signal, and each is each formatted in accordance with oneor more RF MIMO specifications.

The front-end switching circuitry 72 is configured such that the antennaport 20′ may only be selectively coupled to a proper subset of the RFtransceiver ports. In this example, the proper subset of the RFtransceiver ports is coupled to the throw ports 22(1)(C) of the MTMEMS14(1)(C). In this embodiment, the throw port 16(2)-2 is coupled to thepole port 24(1)(C) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C). Accordingly, the antenna port20′ and the antenna ANT2 are selectively coupled to the pole port24(1)(C) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C) when the pole port 18(2) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 16(2)-2. The MTMEMS 14(1)(C) is configured toselectively couple any one of the throw ports 22(1)(C) to the pole port24(1)(C). The MTMEMS 14(1)(C) is also configured to decouple the poleport 24(1)(C) from all of the throw ports 22(1)(C). In this embodiment,the pole port 18(2), the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2 areselectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(C)-1 of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C)when the pole port 18(2) is selectively coupled to the throw port16(2)-2 and when the pole port 24(1)(C) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 22(1)(C)-1. In this case, the RF receive signal RXMIMO1 maybe received by the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ so as to betransmitted from the throw port 22(1)(C)-1 to a MIMO receiver chain inthe RF transceiver circuitry.

Also, the pole port 18(2), the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2are selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(C)-2 of the MTMEMS14(1)(C) when the pole port 18(2) is selectively coupled to the throwport 16(2)-2 and when the pole port 24(1)(C) is selectively coupled tothe throw port 22(1)(C)-2. In this case, the RF receive signal RXMIMO2may be received by the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ so as to betransmitted from the throw port 22(1)(C)-2 to a MIMO receiver chain inthe RF transceiver circuitry. Additionally, the pole port 18(2), theantenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2 are selectively coupled to thethrow port 22(1)(C)-3 of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C) when the pole port 18(2) isselectively coupled to the throw port 16(2)-2 and when the pole port24(1)(C) is selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(C)-3. In thiscase, the RF receive signal RXMIMO3 may be received by the antenna ANT2at the antenna port 20′ so as to be transmitted from the throw port22(1)(C)-3 to a MIMO receiver chain in the RF transceiver circuitry.Finally, the pole port 18(2), the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2are selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(C)-4 of the MTMEMS14(1)(C) when the pole port 18(2) is selectively coupled to the throwport 16(2)-2 and when the pole port 24(1)(C) is selectively coupled tothe throw port 22(1)(C)-4. In this case, the RF receive signal RXMIMO4may be received by the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ so as to betransmitted from the throw port 22(1)(C)-4 to a MIMO receiver chain inthe RF transceiver circuitry.

Referring again to FIGS. 6, 6A, and 6B, the antenna switching circuitry70 also includes the control circuit 46, and is operable in the LTE-TDDmode and the LTE-RDD mode described above with respect to FIG. 4. Asdescribed above, the transistor switch subcontroller 56 generates theswitch control output 48(1) in accordance with the transistor switchcontrol mode output 62. In addition, the transistor switch subcontroller56 also generates a switch control output 48(2) in accordance with thetransistor switch control mode output 62. The MTSTS 12(2) is configuredto selectively couple the pole port 18(2) to the throw ports 16(2) inaccordance with the switch control output 48(2). The switch controloutput 48(2) is thus also analogous to the switch control output 48described above with respect to FIG. 2.

The MEMS subcontroller 58 is configured to generate the switch controloutput 50(3) (described above with respect to FIG. 4), the switchcontrol output 50(4) (described above with respect to FIG. 4), and aswitch control output 50(MIMO) in response to the MEMS switch controlmode output 64. The switch control output 50(MIMO) is analogous to theswitch control output 50 described above with respect to FIG. 2, andoperates to selectively couple the pole port 24(1)(C) of the MTMEMS14(1)(C) to one of the throw ports 22(1)(C).

Like the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) shown in FIG. 4, the throw ports 22(2)(A)-1,22(2)(A)-2, 22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, and 22(2)(A)-6 eachreceive the RF transmission signals TXTDD1, TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4,TXTDD5, and TXTDD6, respectively. Also, like the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) of FIG.4, the throw ports 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3 of the MTMEMS14(1)(B) transmit the RF receive signals RXTDD1, RXTDD2, and RXTDD3.Furthermore, the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD transmits the RF receive signalRXFDD7 and receives the RF transmission signal TXFDD7. As previouslydiscussed, the control circuit 46 is operable in an LTE-TDD mode, whichis implemented in the same manner as the LTE-TDD mode is implemented inthe control circuit 46 described above with respect to FIG. 4. Thecontrol circuit 46 is also operable in an LTE-FDD mode, which isimplemented in the same manner as the LTE-FDD mode is implemented in thecontrol circuit 46 described above with respect to FIG. 4.

Additionally, the control circuit 46 is operable in an LTE-MIMO mode.While the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-MIMO mode, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTSTS 12(1) such thatthe pole port 18(1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 16(1)-2 ofthe MTSTS 12(1). In addition, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTSTS 12(2) such that the pole port 18(2) isselectively coupled to the throw port 16(2)-2 of the MTSTS 12(2). Withregard to the MTMEMS 14(2)(A), the control circuit 46 decouples the poleport 24(2)(A) from all of the throw ports 22(2)(A) while the controlcircuit 46 is in the LTE-MIMO mode. In addition, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) such that thepole port 24(2)(B) is selectively coupled to the throw port 22(2)(B)-2and controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(C) such that thepole port 24(1)(C) is selectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(C)-2.As such, while the control circuit 46 is in the LTE-MIMO mode, the RFreceive signal RXTDD2 may be received by the antenna ANT1 and the RFreceive signal RXMIMO2 may be received by the antenna ANT2simultaneously.

FIG. 7 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includesanother embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 74, along with theantenna port 20, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20′, and the antennaANT2. The antenna switching circuitry 74 includes front-end switchingcircuitry 75, a first diplexer 76A, and a second diplexer 76B. Thefront-end switching circuitry 75 includes low band switching circuitry78, high band switching circuitry 80, low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82, and high band antenna selection circuitry 84. FIG. 7Aillustrates that the antenna switching circuitry 74 includes the MTMEMS14(1)(A) and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) described above with respect to FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 7 and FIG. 7B, FIG. 7B illustrates embodiments ofthe low band switching circuitry 78 and the high band switchingcircuitry 80 shown in FIG. 7. The low band switching circuitry 78 is anMTSTS and includes a pole port 86 and a set of throw ports (referred togenerically as elements 88, and specifically as elements 88-1, 88-2,88-3, 88-4, 88-5). In this example, the low band switching circuitry 78only has the pole port 86, and is therefore an SPMTSTS. The low bandswitching circuitry 78 is configured to selectively couple the pole port86 to any one of the throw ports 88. With regard to the high bandswitching circuitry 80, the high band switching circuitry 80 is also anMTSTS and includes a pole port 90 and a set of throw ports (referred togenerically as elements 92, and specifically as elements 92-1, 92-2,92-3, 92-4, 92-5). In this example, the high band switching circuitry 80only has the pole port 90, and is therefore also an SPMTSTS. The highband switching circuitry 80 is configured to selectively couple the poleport 90 to any one of the throw ports 92.

Referring now to FIG. 7 and FIG. 7C, FIG. 7C illustrates embodiments ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82 and the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 shown in FIG. 7. The low band switching circuitry78 (shown in FIG. 7B) is coupled to the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82. The low band antenna selection circuitry 82 is coupled toboth the antenna port 20 (and thus the antenna ANT1) and the antennaport 20′ (and thus the antenna ANT2). The low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 is configured to selectively couple the low band switchingcircuitry 78 to any one of the antenna ports 20, 20′, and thus also toany one of the antennas ANT1, ANT2. In this embodiment, the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 includes an MTSTS, which in this exampleis an MPMTSTS). More specifically, the MPMTSTS is a double pole (DP)MTSTS.

Accordingly, the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 has a pole port94 and a pole port 96. The low band antenna selection circuitry 82 alsoincludes a set of throw ports (referred to generically as elements 98,and specifically as elements 98-1, 98-2, 98-3, 98-4) and a set of throwports (referred to generically as elements 100, and specifically aselements 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4). The low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 is configured to selectively couple the pole port 94 to anyone of the throw ports 98. The low band antenna selection circuitry 82is also configured to selectively couple the pole port 96 to any one ofthe throw ports 100.

The first diplexer 76A is coupled between the antenna port 20 (and theantenna ANT1) and the front-end switching circuitry 75. Morespecifically, the first diplexer 76A includes a common port I1 coupledto the antenna port 20, a low band port 101LA coupled to the pole port94, and a high band port 101HA coupled to the pole port 102. The seconddiplexer 76B is coupled between the antenna port 20′ (and the antennaANT2) and the front-end switching circuitry 75. More specifically, thesecond diplexer 76B includes a common port 12 coupled to the antennaport 20′, a low band port 101LB coupled to the pole port 96, and a highband port 101HB coupled to the pole port 104.

With regard to the throw ports 98, 100, each of the throw ports 98 isdirectly connected to a different throw port 100 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82. More specifically, the throw port 98-1 isdirectly connected to the throw port 100-1. The throw port 98-2 isdirectly connected to the throw port 100-2. The throw port 98-3 isdirectly connected to the throw port 100-3. The throw port 98-4 isdirectly connected to the throw port 100-4. The DPMTSTS is thus anintermediate DPMTSTS (IDPMTSTS). As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the poleport 86 of the low band switching circuitry 78 is coupled to both thethrow port 98-2 in the set of throw ports 98 of the IDPMTSTS in the lowband antenna selection circuitry 82 and the throw port 100-2 of the setof throw ports 100 of the IDPMTSTS in the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82. Accordingly, the pole port 86 of the low band switchingcircuitry 78 is selectively coupled to the low band port 101LA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-2. The throw port 88-1 isselectively coupled to the pole port 94, the low band port 101LA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-1 and the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-2. The throw port 88-2 isselectively coupled to the pole port 94, the low band port 101LA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-2 and the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-2. The throw port 88-3 isselectively coupled to the pole port 94, the low band port 101LA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-3 and the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-2. The throw port 88-4 isselectively coupled to the pole port 94, the low band port 101LA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-4 and the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-2.

Referring again to FIGS. 7B and 7C, the pole port 86 of the low bandswitching circuitry 78 is selectively coupled to the low band port101LB, the antenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 96is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-2. The throw port 88-1 isselectively coupled to the pole port 96, the low band port 101LB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-1 and the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-2. The throw port 88-2 isselectively coupled to the pole port 96, the low band port 101LB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-2 and the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-2. The throw port 88-3 isselectively coupled to the pole port 96, the low band port 101LB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-3 and the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-2. The throw port 88-4 isselectively coupled to the pole port 96, the low band port 101LB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 86 isselectively coupled to the throw port 88-4 and the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-2.

As a result, the throw ports 88 of the low band switching circuitry 78may each be coupled to just the antenna port 20 (and thus the antennaANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus the antenna ANT2), or boththe antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′ simultaneously (and thusboth the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2 simultaneously). Forinstance, when one of the throw ports 88 is selectively coupled to thepole port 86 of the low band switching circuitry 78, the pole port 94may be selectively coupled to the throw port 98-2 of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 while the pole port 96 is decoupled fromthe throw port 100-2 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. Inthis case, the one of the throw ports 88 is selectively coupled to theantenna port 20, the low band port 101LA, and the antenna ANT1, but isdecoupled from the low band port 101LB, antenna port 20′, and theantenna ANT2. When one of the throw ports 88 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 86 of the low band switching circuitry 78, the pole port94 may be decoupled from the throw port 98-2 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 while the pole port 96 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 100-2 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. Inthis case, the one of the throw ports 88 is selectively coupled to theantenna port 20′, the low band port 101LB, and the antenna ANT2, but isdecoupled from the antenna port 20, the low band port 101LA, and theantenna ANT1. When one of the throw ports 88 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 86 of the low band switching circuitry 78, the pole port94 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 98-2 of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 and the pole port 96 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 100-2 of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 simultaneously. In this case, the one of the throw ports 88is selectively coupled simultaneously to the low band port 101LB, theantenna port 20′, the antenna ANT2, the low band port 101LA, the antennaport 20, and the antenna ANT1.

Referring again to FIGS. 7, 7B, and 7C, the high band switchingcircuitry 80 is coupled to the high band antenna selection circuitry 84.The high band antenna selection circuitry 84 is coupled to both theantenna port 20 (and thus the antenna ANT1) and the antenna port 20′(and thus the antenna ANT2). The high band antenna selection circuitry84 is configured to selectively couple the high band switching circuitry80 to any one of the antenna ports 20, 20′, and thus also to any one ofthe antennas ANT1, ANT2.

The high band antenna selection circuitry 84 includes an MTSTS, which inthis example is an MPMTSTS. More specifically, the MPMTSTS is a DPMTSTS.Accordingly, the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 has a poleport 102 and a pole port 104. The high band antenna selection circuitry84 also includes a set of throw ports (referred to generically aselements 106, and specifically as elements 106-1, 106-2, 106-3, 106-4)and a set of throw ports (referred to generically as elements 108, andspecifically as elements 108-1, 108-2, 108-3, 108-4). The high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 is configured to selectively couple thepole port 102 to any one of the throw ports 106. The high band antennaselection circuitry 84 is also configured to selectively couple the poleport 104 to any one of the throw ports 108. The pole port 102 of thehigh band antenna selection circuitry 84 is coupled to the high bandport 101HA of the first diplexer 76A, while the pole port 104 of thehigh band antenna selection circuitry 84 is coupled to the high bandport 101HB of the second diplexer 76B.

In this embodiment, each of the throw ports 106 is directly connected toa different one of the throw ports 108 of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84. More specifically, the throw port 106-1 isdirectly connected to the throw port 108-1. The throw port 106-2 isdirectly connected to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 106-3 isdirectly connected to the throw port 108-3. The throw port 106-4 isdirectly connected to the throw port 108-4. The DPMTSTS is thus anIDPMTSTS. The pole port 90 of the high band switching circuitry 80 (FIG.7B) is coupled to both the throw port 106-2 in the set of throw ports106 in the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 and the throw port108-2 of the set of throw ports 108 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84. Accordingly, the pole port 90 of the high band switchingcircuitry 80 is selectively coupled to the antenna ANT1 and the antennaport 20 when the pole port 102 is selectively coupled to the throw port106-2. The throw port 92-1 is selectively coupled to the pole port 102,the high band port 101HA, the antenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 whenthe pole port 90 is selectively coupled to the throw port 92-1 and thepole port 102 is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-2. The throwport 92-2 is selectively coupled to the pole port 102, the high bandport 101HA, the antenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port90 is selectively coupled to the throw port 92-2 and the pole port 102is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-2. The throw port 92-3 isselectively coupled to the pole port 102, the high band port 101HA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-3 and the pole port 102 isselectively coupled to the throw port 106-2. The throw port 92-4 isselectively coupled to the pole port 102, the high band port 101HA, theantenna ANT1, and the antenna port 20 when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-4 and the pole port 102 isselectively coupled to the throw port 106-2.

Additionally, the pole port 90 of the high band switching circuitry 80is selectively coupled to the antenna ANT2 and the antenna port 20′ whenthe pole port 104 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 92-1 isselectively coupled to the pole port 104, the high band port 101HB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-1 and the pole port 104 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 92-2 isselectively coupled to the pole port 104, the high band port 101HB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-2 and the pole port 104 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 92-3 isselectively coupled to the pole port 104, the high band port 101HB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-3 and the pole port 104 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 92-4 isselectively coupled to the pole port 104, the high band port 101HB, theantenna ANT2, and the antenna port 20′ when the pole port 90 isselectively coupled to the throw port 92-4 and the pole port 104 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-2.

As a result, the throw ports 92 of the high band switching circuitry 80may each be coupled to just the antenna port 20 (and thus the antennaANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus the antenna ANT2), or boththe antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′ simultaneously (and thusboth the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2 simultaneously). Forinstance, when one of the throw ports 92 is selectively coupled to thepole port 90 of the high band switching circuitry 80, the pole port 102may be selectively coupled to the throw port 106-2 of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 while the pole port 104 is decoupled fromthe throw port 108-2 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. Inthis case, the one of the throw ports 92 is selectively coupled to thehigh band port 101HA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but isdecoupled from the high band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and theantenna ANT2. When one of the throw ports 92 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 90 of the high band switching circuitry 80, the pole port102 may be decoupled from the throw port 106-2 of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 while the pole port 104 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 108-2 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. Inthis case, the one of the throw ports 92 is selectively coupled to thehigh band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2, but isdecoupled from the high band port 101HA, the antenna port 20, and theantenna ANT1. When one of the throw ports 92 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 90 of the high band switching circuitry 80, the pole port102 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 106-2 of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 and the pole port 104 may besimultaneously selectively coupled to the throw port 108-2 of the highband antenna selection circuitry 84. In this case, the one of the throwports 92 is selectively coupled to the high band port 101HB, the antennaport 20′, the antenna ANT2, the high band port 101HA, the antenna port20, and the antenna ANT1 simultaneously.

With regard to the other throw ports 98-1, 98-3, 98-4 in the set ofthrow ports 98 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 and theother throw ports 100-1, 100-3, 100-4 in the set of throw ports 100 ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82, the front-end switchingcircuitry 75 illustrated in FIGS. 7, 7A, 7B, and 7C has RF ports RFLB1,RFLB2, and RFLB3. More specifically, the RF port RFLB1 is coupled to thethrow port 98-1 and to the throw port 100-1 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82. As a result, the RF port RFLB1 may be coupled tojust the antenna port 20 (and thus the antenna ANT1), just the antennaport 20′ (and thus the antenna ANT2), or both the antenna port 20 andthe antenna port 20′ simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 andthe antenna ANT2 simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 94 may beselectively coupled to the throw port 98-1 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 while the pole port 96 is decoupled from thethrow port 100-1 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. In thiscase, the RF port RFLB1 is selectively coupled to the low band port101LA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupled fromthe low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2.Also, the pole port 96 may be selectively coupled to the throw port100-1 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 while the pole port94 is decoupled from the throw port 98-1 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82. In this case, the RF port RFLB1 is selectivelycoupled to the low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and theantenna ANT2, but is decoupled from the low band port 101LA, the antennaport 20, and the antenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 94 may beselectively coupled to the throw port 98-1 of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 and the pole port 96 may be selectively coupledto the throw port 100-1 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82simultaneously. In this case, the RF port RFLB1 is selectively coupledsimultaneously to the low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, theantenna ANT2, the low band port 101LA, the antenna port 20, and theantenna ANT1. The RF port RFLB1 may be a terminal, a contact, a node,and/or the like.

The RF port RFLB2 is coupled to the throw port 98-3 and to the throwport 100-3 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. As a result,the RF port RFLB2 may be coupled to just the antenna port 20 (and thusthe antenna ANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus the antennaANT2), or both the antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 94 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-3 of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 while the pole port 96 is decoupled from the throw port100-3 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. In this case, theRF port RFLB2 is selectively coupled to the low band port 101LA, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupled from the lowband port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2. Also, thepole port 96 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 100-3 of thelow band antenna selection circuitry 82 while the pole port 94 isdecoupled from the throw port 98-3 of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82. In this case, the RF port RFLB2 is selectively coupled tothe low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2, butis decoupled from the low band port 101LA, the antenna port 20, and theantenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 94 may be selectively coupled tothe throw port 98-3 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 andthe pole port 96 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 100-3 ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82 simultaneously. In thiscase, the RF port RFLB2 is selectively coupled simultaneously to the lowband port 101LA, the low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, theantenna ANT2, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. The RF portRFLB2 may be a terminal, a contact, a node, and/or the like.

Additionally, the RF port RFLB3 is coupled to the throw port 98-4 and tothe throw port 100-4 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. Asa result, the RF port RFLB3 may be coupled to just the antenna port 20(and thus the antenna ANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus theantenna ANT2), or both the antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 94 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-4 of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 while the pole port 96 is decoupled from the throw port100-4 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82. In this case, theRF port RFLB3 is selectively coupled to the low band port 101LA, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupled from the lowband port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2. Also, thepole port 96 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 100-4 of thelow band antenna selection circuitry 82 while the pole port 94 isdecoupled from the throw port 98-4 of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82. In this case, the RF port RFLB2 is selectively coupled tothe low band port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2, butis decoupled from the low band port 101LA, the antenna port 20, and theantenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 94 may be selectively coupled tothe throw port 98-4 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 andthe pole port 96 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 100-4 ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82 simultaneously. In thiscase, the RF port RFLB3 is selectively coupled simultaneously to the lowband port 101LB, the antenna port 20′, the antenna ANT2, the low bandport 101LA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. The RF port RFLB3may be a terminal, a contact, a node, and/or the like.

With regard to the other throw ports 106-1, 106-3, 106-4 in the set ofthrow ports 106 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84, and theother throw ports 108-1, 108-3, 108-4 in the set of throw ports 106 ofthe high band antenna selection circuitry 84, the front-end switchingcircuitry 75 illustrated in FIGS. 7, 7B, and 7C has RF ports RFHB1,RFHB2, and RFHB3. More specifically, the RF port RFHB1 is coupled to thethrow port 106-1 and to the throw port 108-1 of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84. As a result, the RF port RFHB1 may be coupled tojust the antenna port 20 (and thus the antenna ANT1), just the antennaport 20′ (and thus the antenna ANT2), or both the antenna port 20 andthe antenna port 20′ simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 andthe antenna ANT2 simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 102 may beselectively coupled to the throw port 106-1 of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 while the pole port 104 is decoupled from thethrow port 108-1 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. Inthis case, the RF port RFHB1 is selectively coupled to the high bandport 101HA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupledfrom the high band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antennaANT2. Also, the pole port 104 may be selectively coupled to the throwport 108-1 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 while thepole port 102 is decoupled from the throw port 106-1 of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84. In this case, the RF port RFHB1 isselectively coupled to the high band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′,and the antenna ANT2, but is decoupled from the high band port 101HA,the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 102may be selectively coupled to the throw port 106-1 of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 and the pole port 104 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-1 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84 simultaneously. In this case, the RF port RFHB1 isselectively coupled simultaneously to the high band port 101HB, theantenna port 20′, the antenna ANT2, the high band port 101HA, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. The RF port RFHB1 may be aterminal, a contact, a node, and/or the like.

The RF port RFHB2 is coupled to the throw port 106-3 and to the throwport 108-3 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. As a result,the RF port RFHB2 may be coupled to just the antenna port 20 (and thusthe antenna ANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus the antennaANT2), or both the antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 102 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 106-3 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84 while the pole port 104 is decoupled from the throw port108-3 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. In this case, theRF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled to the high band port 101HA, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupled from the highband port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2. Also, thepole port 104 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 108-3 of thehigh band antenna selection circuitry 84 while the pole port 102 isdecoupled from the throw port 106-3 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84. In this case, the RF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled tothe high band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2,but is decoupled from the high band port 101HA, the antenna port 20, andthe antenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 102 may be selectively coupledto the throw port 106-3 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84and the pole port 104 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 108-3of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 simultaneously. In thiscase, the RF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled simultaneously to thehigh band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, the antenna ANT2, the highband port 101HA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. The RF portRFHB2 may be a terminal, a contact, a node, and/or the like.

Additionally, the RF port RFHB3 is coupled to the throw port 106-4 andto the throw port 108-4 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84.As a result, the RF port RFHB3 may be coupled to just the antenna port20 (and thus the antenna ANT1), just the antenna port 20′ (and thus theantenna ANT2), or both the antenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′simultaneously (and thus both the antenna ANT1 and the antenna ANT2simultaneously). For instance, the pole port 102 may be selectivelycoupled to the throw port 106-4 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84 while the pole port 104 is decoupled from the throw port108-4 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84. In this case, theRF port RFHB3 is selectively coupled to the high band port 101HA, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1, but is decoupled from the highband port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2. Also, thepole port 104 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 108-4 of thehigh band antenna selection circuitry 84 while the pole port 102 isdecoupled from the throw port 106-4 of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84. In this case, the RF port RFHB3 is selectively coupled tothe high band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2,but is decoupled from the high band port 101HA, the antenna port 20, andthe antenna ANT1. Further, the pole port 102 may be selectively coupledto the throw port 106-4 of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84and the pole port 104 may be selectively coupled to the throw port 108-4of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 simultaneously. In thiscase, the RF port RFHB3 is selectively coupled simultaneously to thehigh band port 101HB, the antenna port 20′, the antenna ANT2, the highband port 101HA, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. The RF portRFHB3 may be a terminal, a contact, a node, and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 7C, the antenna switching circuitry 74 mayfurther include a plurality of directional couplers (referred togenerically as elements 110, and specifically as elements 110LA, 110HA,110LB, 110HB) that are configured to direct a signal flow of RF signalsfrom the antenna ports 20, 20′ (and thus the antennas ANT1, ANT2). Theplurality of directional couplers 110 may be coupled between each of theports 101LA, 101HA of the first diplexer 76A and the front-end switchingcircuitry 75, and between each of the ports 101LB, 101HB of the seconddiplexer 76B and the front-end switching circuitry 75. Morespecifically, the directional coupler 110LA is coupled between the poleport 94 of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 and the low bandport 101LA of the first diplexer 76A. A throw switch network TSN isoperable to switch the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LA froma receive signal flow to a transmission signal flow and from thetransmission signal flow to the receive signal flow. To receive from theantenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1, the throw switch network TSNoperates the directional coupler 110LA so that the signal flow is set tothe receive signal flow, thereby allowing signals to pass from the lowband port 101LA and the antenna port 20 to the pole port 94. To transmitfrom the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT, the throw switch networkTSN operates the directional coupler 110LA so that the signal flow isset to the transmission signal flow, thereby allowing signals to passfrom the pole port 94 to the low band port 101LA and the antenna port20.

The directional coupler 110HA is coupled between the pole port 102 ofthe high band antenna selection circuitry 84 and the high band port101HA of the first diplexer 76A. The throw switch network TSN isoperable to switch the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HA froma receive signal flow to a transmission signal flow and from thetransmission signal flow to the receive signal flow. To receive from theantenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1, the throw switch network TSNoperates the directional coupler 110HA so that the signal flow is set tothe receive signal flow, thereby allowing signals to pass from the highband port 101HA and the antenna port 20 to the pole port 102. Totransmit from the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1, the throw switchnetwork TSN operates the directional coupler 110HA so that the signalflow is set to the transmission signal flow, thereby allowing signals topass from the pole port 102 to the high band port 101HA and the antennaport 20.

The directional coupler 110LB is coupled between the pole port 96 of thelow band antenna selection circuitry 82 and the low band port 101LB ofthe second diplexer 76B. The throw switch network TSN is operable toswitch the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LB from a receivesignal flow to a transmission signal flow and from the transmissionsignal flow to the receive signal flow. To receive from the antenna port20′ and the antenna ANT2, the throw switch network TSN operates thedirectional coupler 110LB so that the signal flow is set to the receivesignal flow, thereby allowing signals to pass from the low band port101LB and the antenna port 20′ to the pole port 96. To transmit from theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2, the throw switch network TSNoperates the directional coupler 110LB so that the signal flow is set tothe transmission signal flow, thereby allowing signals to pass from thepole port 96 to the low band port 101LB and the antenna port 20′.

The directional coupler 110HB is coupled between the pole port 104 ofthe high band antenna selection circuitry 84 and the high band port101HB of the second diplexer 76B. The throw switch network TSN isoperable to switch the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HB froma receive signal flow to a transmission signal flow and from thetransmission signal flow to the receive signal flow. To receive from theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2, the throw switch network TSNoperates the directional coupler 110HB so that the signal flow is set tothe receive signal flow, thereby allowing signals to pass from the highband port 101HB and the antenna port 20′ to the pole port 104. Totransmit from the antenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2, the throwswitch network TSN operates the directional coupler 110HB so that thesignal flow is set to the transmission signal flow, thereby allowingsignals to pass from the pole port 102 to the high band port 101HB andthe antenna port 20′.

In this embodiment, the directional coupler 110LA is coupled between thelow band port 101LA of the first diplexer 76A and the pole port 94.Whenever the pole port 94 is selectively coupled to a selected one ofthe throw ports 98, the selected one of the throw ports 98 isselectively coupled to the directional coupler 110LA, the low band port101LA of the first diplexer 76A, the antenna port 20, and the antennaANT1. The first diplexer 76A has a frequency response that defines apass band within a low frequency range at the low band port 101LA. Thefirst diplexer 76A may be tunable so as to provide the pass band at thelow band port 101LA within different RF communication bands of the lowfrequency range. An exemplary low frequency range may includefrequencies of less than 1 GHz.

Also, the directional coupler 110HA is coupled between the high bandport 101HA of the first diplexer 76A and the pole port 102. Whenever thepole port 102 is selectively coupled to a selected one of the throwports 106, the selected one of the throw ports 106 is selectivelycoupled to the directional coupler 110HA, the high band port 101HA ofthe first diplexer 76A, the antenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1. Thefirst diplexer 76A has a frequency response that defines a pass bandwithin a high frequency range at the high band port 101HA. The firstdiplexer 76A may be tunable so as to provide the pass band at the highband port 101HA within different RF communication bands of the highfrequency range. An exemplary high frequency range may includefrequencies of 1 GHz or greater.

Additionally, the directional coupler 110LB is coupled between the lowband port 101LB of the second diplexer 76B and the pole port 96.Whenever the pole port 96 is selectively coupled to a selected one ofthe throw ports 100, the selected one of the throw ports 100 isselectively coupled to the directional coupler 110LB, the low band port101LB of the second diplexer 76B, the antenna port 20′, and the antennaANT2. The second diplexer 76B also has a frequency response that definesa pass band within the low frequency range at the low band port 101LB.The second diplexer 76B may be tunable so as to provide the pass band atthe low band port 101LB within different RF communication bands of thelow frequency range.

The directional coupler 110HB is coupled between the high band port101HB of the second diplexer 76B and the pole port 104. Whenever thepole port 104 is selectively coupled to a selected one of the throwports 108, the selected one of the throw ports 108 is selectivelycoupled to the directional coupler 110HB, the high band port 101HB ofthe second diplexer 76B, the antenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2. Thesecond diplexer 76B also has a frequency response that defines a passband within a high frequency range at the high band port 101HB. Thesecond diplexer 76B may be tunable so as to provide the pass band at thehigh band port 101HB within different RF communication bands of the highband frequency range.

Note that the pole port 94, the directional coupler 110LA, the low bandport 101LA of the first diplexer 76A, the common port 11, the antennaport 20, and the antenna ANT1 define a first set of coupled elements.Thus, whenever one of the coupled elements in the first set of coupledelements is selectively coupled to a component, the other members in thefirst set of coupled elements are also selectively coupled to thecomponent. For example, if the pole port 94 is selectively coupled tothe throw port 98-1, the directional coupler 110LA, the low band port101LA of the first diplexer 76A, the common port 11, the antenna port20, and the antenna ANT1 are also selectively coupled to the throw port98-1. Similarly, the pole port 96, the directional coupler 110LB, thelow band port 101LB of the second diplexer 76B, the common port 12, theantenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2 define a second set of coupledelements. The pole port 102, the directional coupler 110HA, the highband port 101HA of the first diplexer 76A, the common port 11, theantenna port 20, and the antenna ANT1 define a third set of coupledelements. Finally, the pole port 104, the directional coupler 110HB, thehigh band port 101HB of the second diplexer 76B, the common port 12, theantenna port 20′, and the antenna ANT2 define a fourth set of coupledelements. Thus, throughout this disclosure, whenever a member of one ofthe sets of coupled elements is mentioned as being selectively coupledto a component, the other members in the same set of coupled elementsare also selectively coupled to the component even if the selectivecoupling of the other members in the set is not explicitly statedherein. However, it should be noted that the first set, the second set,the third set, and the fourth set of coupled elements should be analyzedexclusively to determine selective coupling. In other words, when acoupled element (such as the antenna ports 20, 20′ and the antennasANT1, ANT2) is common to more than one of the sets of coupled elements,then which of the sets is being discussed should be considered todetermine selective coupling. Accordingly, the members of the set withthe common coupled element that is being considered may be presumed tobe selectively coupled to the component. However, the exclusivedisjunction of uncommon members from other sets not being considered butalso having the common coupled element should not be considered asselectively coupled to the component or to uncommon members of the setbeing considered unless explicitly stated herein. Put more simply, whensets with high band coupled elements (elements with the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84, the high band switching circuitry 80,etc.) and a common coupled element (e.g., the antenna ports 20, 20′ andthe antennas ANT1, ANT2) are being considered, low band coupled elements(elements with the low band antenna selection circuitry 82, the low bandswitching circuitry 78, etc.) in another set that also has the commoncoupled element (e.g., the antenna ports 20, 20′ and the antennas ANT1,ANT2) should not be presumed to be selectively coupled to the componentor to the high band coupled elements unless expressly stated herein. Thesame applies vice versa with respect to sets with high band coupledelements and a common coupled element when sets with low band coupledelements and the common coupled element are being considered.

As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 7A, the front-end switching circuitry 75includes the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) illustrated in FIG.3. In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 is configured to switchthe front-end switching circuitry 75, the MTMEMS 14(1)(A), and theMTMEMS 14(1)(B) so as to route RF signals to and from RF transceivercircuitry (not shown) and to and from a plurality of antenna ports (inthis example, the antenna ports 20, 20′) and/or a plurality of antennas(in this example, the antennas ANT1 and ANT2). The control circuit 46 isconfigured to switch the front-end switching circuitry 75, the MTMEMS14(1)(A), and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) in accordance with any one of a set ofRF communication specifications for the RF signals. Thus, for each RFcommunication specification in the set of RF communicationspecifications, the control circuit 46 is operable in a mode wherein thefront-end switching circuitry 75, the MTMEMS 14(1)(A), and the MTMEMS14(1)(B) are switched by the control circuit 46 in accordance with theRF communication specification. Since the control circuit 46 isconfigured to switch the front-end switching circuitry 75, the MTMEMS14(1)(A), and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B), the control circuit 46 is operable inany one of a set of modes, wherein the set of modes may correspondinjectively, surjectively, or bijectively to the set of RF communicationspecifications. In this embodiment, the control mode input 60 to themaster subcontroller 54 may be provided in different control modepermutations, wherein each of the control mode permutations isindicative of a mode in the set of modes.

The MEMS subcontroller 58 is described above with respect to FIG. 3 andgenerates the switch control output 50(1) and the switch control output50(2) as described above with respect to FIG. 3 in order to control theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) and the MTMEMS 14(1)(B). TheMEMS subcontroller 58 is thus configured to generate the switch controloutput 50(1) to control the selective coupling of the pole port 24(1)(A)to any one of the throw ports 22(1)(A). Similarly, the MEMSsubcontroller 58 is configured to generate the switch control output50(2) to control the selective coupling of the pole port 24(1)(B) to oneof the throw ports 22(1)(B).

As shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the transistor switch subcontroller 56 isconfigured to generate a switch control output 50(SLB), a switch controloutput 50(ALB), a switch control output 50(SHB), a switch control output50(AHB), and a switch control output 50(TSN) in accordance with thetransistor switch control mode output 62. The low band switchingcircuitry 78 is operable to receive the switch control output 50(SLB)from the transistor switch subcontroller 56. The low band switchingcircuitry 78 is configured to selectively couple the pole port 86 to oneof the throw ports 88 in accordance with the switch control output50(SLB). In this manner, the transistor switch subcontroller 56 isconfigured to control the selective coupling of the pole port 86 to oneof the throw ports 88.

The high band switching circuitry 80 is operable to receive the switchcontrol output 50(SHB) from the transistor switch subcontroller 56. Thehigh band switching circuitry 80 is configured to selectively couple thepole port 90 to one of the throw ports 92 in accordance with the switchcontrol output 50(SHB). In this manner, the transistor switchsubcontroller 56 is configured to control the selective coupling of thepole port 90 to one of the throw ports 88.

Additionally, the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 is operable toreceive the switch control output 50(ALB) from the transistor switchsubcontroller 56. The low band antenna selection circuitry 82 isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 94 to one of the throwports 98 in accordance with the switch control output 50(ALB).Furthermore, the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 is configuredto selectively couple the pole port 96 to one of the throw ports 100 inaccordance with the switch control output 50(ALB). In this manner, thetransistor switch subcontroller 56 is configured to control theselective coupling of the pole port 94 to one of the throw ports 98 andto control the selective coupling of the pole port 96 to one of thethrow ports 100.

Also, the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 is operable toreceive the switch control output 50(AHB) from the transistor switchsubcontroller 56. The high band antenna selection circuitry 84 isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 102 to one of the throwports 106 in accordance with the switch control output 50(AHB).Furthermore, the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 is configuredto selectively couple the pole port 104 to one of the throw ports 108 inaccordance with the switch control output 50(AHB). In this manner, thetransistor switch subcontroller 56 is configured to control theselective coupling of the pole port 102 to one of the throw ports 106and to control the selective coupling of the pole port 104 to one of thethrow ports 108.

Finally, the throw switch network TSN is operable to receive the switchcontrol output 50(TSN) from the transistor switch subcontroller 56. Thethrow switch network TSN is configured to switch the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LA in accordance with the switch control output50(TSN). Furthermore, the throw switch network TSN is configured toswitch the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HA in accordancewith the switch control output 50(TSN). Additionally, the throw switchnetwork TSN is configured to switch the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB in accordance with the switch control output 50(TSN).Also, the throw switch network TSN is configured to switch the signalflow of the directional coupler 110HB in accordance with the switchcontrol output 50(TSN). In this manner, the transistor switchsubcontroller 56 is configured to control the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LA through the throw switch network TSN, tocontrol the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HA through thethrow switch network TSN, to control the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB through the throw switch network TSN, and to control thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110LB through the throw switchnetwork TSN.

The control circuit 46 may operate so as to provide different types ofcarrier aggregation modes to comply with the carrier aggregationrequirements of the different LTE specifications, such as LTE diversityspecifications and LTE MIMO specifications. For example, the controlcircuit 46 may be configured in various LTE diversity and LTE MIMO modesthat require different types of carrier aggregation, duplexing, androuting to the antenna ports 20 and 20′.

The antenna switching circuitry 74 is configured to route RF signals toany of the antennas ANT1, ANT2. With regard to the followingexplanations regarding LTE MIMO modes and LTE diversity modes, it shouldbe presumed that the throw ports 22(1)(A), 22(1)(B), 88, 92, 98, 100,106, 108 are decoupled from their respective pole ports 24(1)(A),24(1)(B), 86, 90, 94, 96, 102, 104 by the control circuit 46 unlessspecifically stated otherwise. The same should be presumed for the otherembodiments described below.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 7A-7C, the control circuit 46 is operablein a first LTE MIMO mode. While the control circuit 46 is in the firstLTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 may generate the switch controloutput 50(1) with a switch control output permutation that results inthe pole port 24(1)(A) being selectively coupled to the throw port22(1)(A)-2 and, simultaneously generate the switch control output 50(2)that results in the pole port 24(1)(B) being selectively coupled to thethrow port 22(1)(B)-2. In this embodiment, the RF transmission signalTXTDD2 is a primary transmission MIMO signal and the RF receive signalRXTDD2 is a primary receive MIMO signal. The control circuit 46 sets thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110HA to the transmission signalflow and the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HB to thetransmission signal flow while the control circuit 46 is in the firstLTE MIMO mode during the time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXTDD2. Accordingly, to transmit the RF transmissionsignal TXTDD2 from the antenna ANT1 during the time slot fortransmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2, the control circuit46 controls the selective coupling of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 (and thus also the antenna port20) is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-1. In contrast, totransmit the RF transmission signal TXTDD2 from the antenna ANT2 duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (and thusalso the antenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port108-1. The control circuit 46 is configured to select from which antennato transmit the RF transmission signal TXTDD2 (the primary transmissionMIMO signal) during the first LTE MIMO mode and the time slot fortransmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2.

With regard to transmission, a secondary RF transmission signal TXMIMO1is received at the RF port RFHB3 and is also a high band RF signal. TheRF transmission signal TXMIMO1 is received simultaneously with the RFtransmission signal TXTDD2 while the control circuit 46 is in the firstLTE MIMO mode during the time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXTDD2. When the RF transmission signal TXTDD2 istransmitted by the antenna ANT1 (and thus at the antenna port 20) duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (and thus theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 108-4. When the RF transmission signal TXTDD2 is transmittedby the antenna ANT2 (and thus at the antenna port 20′) during the timeslot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 (and thus the antennaport 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port106-4. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to select fromwhich antenna ANT1, ANT2 to transmit the secondary RF transmissionsignal TXMIMO1 during the first LTE MIMO mode and during the time slotfor transmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2. The RFtransmission signal TXTDD2 and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO1 aretransmitted simultaneously during the first LTE MIMO mode and during thetime slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXTDD2.

In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port90 is coupled to the throw port 92-5 (the grounded throw port) for aslong as the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE MIMO mode.Alternatively, the control circuit 46 may control the selective couplingof the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port 90 isdecoupled from all of the throw ports 92 for as long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the first LTE MIMO mode. Also, in this embodiment, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandswitching circuitry 78 such that the pole port 86 is coupled to thethrow port 88-5 (the grounded throw port) for as long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the first LTE MIMO mode. Alternatively, the controlcircuit 46 may control the selective coupling of the low band switchingcircuitry 78 such that the pole port 86 is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 88 for as long as the control circuit 46 is in the first LTEMIMO mode.

The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110HA to the receive signal flow and the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HB to the receive signal flow while the control circuit 46 isin the first LTE MIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXTDD2. To receive the RF receive signal RXTDD2 at theantenna ANT1 during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signalRXTDD2, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of thehigh band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 isselectively coupled to the throw port 106-3. To receive the RF receivesignal RXTDD2 at the antenna ANT2 during the time slot for reception ofthe RF receive signal RXTDD2, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 suchthat the pole port 104 is selectively coupled to the throw port 108-3(and thus also to the antenna port 20′). Accordingly, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 toreceive the RF receive signal RXTDD2 (the primary receive MIMO signal)during the first LTE MIMO mode and the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXTDD2.

In the first LTE MIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXTDD2, a secondary receive MIMO signal RXMIMO1 isreceived at the RF port RFHB3 and is also a high band RF signal. The RFreceive signal RXMIMO1 is received simultaneously with the RF receivesignal RXTDD2 while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE MIMO modeduring the time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXTDD2. Whenthe RF receive signal RXTDD2 is received by the antenna ANT1 (and thusat the antenna port 20) during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXTDD2, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that thepole port 104 (and thus the antenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2) isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-4. When the RF receive signalRXTDD2 is received by the antenna ANT2 (and thus at the antenna port20′) during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXTDD2,the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 (and thus theantenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 106-4. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured toselect from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive the secondary RF receivesignal RXMIMO1 during the first LTE MIMO mode and during the time slotfor reception of the RF receive signal RXTDD2. The RF receive signalRXTDD2 and the RF receive signal RXMIMO1 are received simultaneouslyduring the first LTE MIMO mode and during the time slot for reception ofthe RF receive signal RXTDD2.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a second LTE MIMO mode. Whilethe control circuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SLB) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 86 beingselectively coupled to the throw port 88-1. In this embodiment, thethrow port 88-1 is operable to receive an RF transmission signal TXL1from the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown) at the throw port 88-1.The RF transmission signal TXL1 operates within the low band. In thisembodiment, the RF transmission signal TXL1 is a primary transmissionMIMO signal. During a time slot for transmission of the RF transmissionsignal TXL1, the front-end switching circuitry 75 may receive an RFtransmission signal TXMIMO2 from the RF transceiver circuitry at the RFport RFLB3. The RF transmission signal TXMIMO2 is a secondarytransmission MIMO signal and is in a low band.

While the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode, thefront-end switching circuitry 75 is operable to transmit an RF receivesignal RXL1 to the RF transceiver circuitry at the RF port RFLB1. The RFreceive signal RXL1 is a primary receive MIMO signal and is in a lowband. During a time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL1, anRF receive signal RXMIMO2 is transmitted to the RF transceiver circuitryat the RF port RFLB3. The RF receive signal RXMIMO2 operates in the lowband and is a secondary receive MIMO signal.

The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110LA to the transmission signal flow and the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LB to the transmission signal flow while thecontrol circuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode during the time slotfor transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL1. To transmit the RFtransmission signal TXL1 from the antenna ANT1 during the time slot fortransmission of the RF transmission signal TXL1, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thus also the antenna port20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-2.To transmit the RF transmission signal TXL1 from the antenna ANT2 duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL1, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus alsothe antenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-2.Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to select from whichantenna ANT1, ANT2 (and thus also from which of the antenna ports 20,20′) to transmit the RF transmission signal TXL1 (the primarytransmission MIMO signal) during the second LTE MIMO mode and during thetime slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL1. Thecontrol circuit 46 may be configured to select from which antenna ANT1,ANT2 (and thus also from which of the antenna ports 20, 20′) to transmitthe RF transmission signal TXL1 based on Total Radiated Power (TRP) dataand/or Total Isotropic Sensitivity (TIS) data.

The RF transmission signal TXMIMO2 is received simultaneously with theRF transmission signal TXL1 from the RF transceiver circuitry, while thecontrol circuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode during the time slotfor transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL1. When the RFtransmission signal TXL1 is transmitted by the antenna ANT1 (and thusprovided to the antenna port 20) during the time slot for transmissionof the RF transmission signal TXL1, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 96 (and thus the antenna port 20′ and the antennaANT2) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-3. When the RFtransmission signal TXL1 is transmitted by the antenna ANT2 (and thusprovided to the antenna port 20′) during the time slot for transmissionof the RF transmission signal TXL1, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 94 (and thus the antenna port 20 and the antennaANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-3. Accordingly, thecontrol circuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2to transmit the secondary RF transmission signal TXMIMO2 during thesecond LTE MIMO mode and during the time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXL1. The RF transmission signal TXL1 and the RFtransmission signal TXMIMO2 are thus transmitted simultaneously duringthe second LTE MIMO mode and during the time slot for transmission ofthe RF transmission signal TXL1.

In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port90 is coupled to the throw port 92-5 (the grounded throw port) for aslong as the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode.Alternatively, the control circuit 46 may control the selective couplingof the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port 90 isdecoupled from all of the throw ports 92 for as long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the second LTE MIMO mode. Also, in this embodiment, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(A) such that the pole port 24(1)(A) is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 22(1)(A) and controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(B) such that the pole port 24(1)(B) is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 22(1)(B). Alternatively, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) such that the pole port24(1)(A) is selectively coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown) andcontrols the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) such that thepole port 24(1)(B) is selectively coupled to a grounded throw port (notshown) in the second LTE MIMO mode.

The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110LA to the receive signal flow and the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB to the receive signal flow while the control circuit 46 isin the second LTE MIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXL1. To receive the RF receive signal RXL1 from theantenna ANT1 during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signalRXL1, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the lowband antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-1. In contrast, to receive theRF receive signal RXL1 from the antenna ANT2 during the time slot forreception of the RF receive signal RXL1, the control circuit 46 controlsthe selective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82such that the pole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port 20′) isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-1. Accordingly, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 toreceive the RF receive signal RXL1 (the primary receive MIMO signal)during the second LTE MIMO mode and the time slot for reception of theRF receive signal RXL1. The control circuit 46 may be configured toselect from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 (and thus also from which of theantenna ports 20, 20′) to receive the RF receive signal RXL1 based onTRP data and/or TIS data.

The RF receive signal RXMIMO2 is received simultaneously with the RFreceive signal RXL1 while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTEMIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signalRXL1. When the RF receive signal RXL1 is received by the antenna ANT1(and thus by the antenna port 20) during the time slot for reception ofthe RF receive signal RXL1, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 96 (and thus the antenna port 20′ and the antennaANT2) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-3. When the RFreceive signal RXTDD2 is received by the antenna ANT2 (and thus by theantenna port 20′) during the time slot for reception of the RF receivesignal RXL1, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94(and thus the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-3. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 isconfigured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive thesecondary RF receive signal RXMIMO2 during the second LTE MIMO mode andduring the time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL1.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a third LTE MIMO mode. Whilethe control circuit 46 is in the third LTE MIMO mode, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SLB) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 86 beingselectively coupled to the throw port 88-4. In this embodiment, thethrow port 88-4 is operable to transmit an RF receive signal RXL2 to theRF transceiver circuitry (not shown) from the throw port 88-4. The RFreceive signal RXL2 operates within the low band. In this embodiment,the RF receive signal RXL2 is a primary receive MIMO signal. During atime slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL2, the front-endswitching circuitry 75 may transmit an RF receive signal RXMIMO3 fromthe RF port RFLB3 to the RF transceiver circuitry. The RF receive signalRXMIMO3 is a secondary receive MIMO signal.

With regard to transmission, while the control circuit 46 is in thethird LTE MIMO mode, the front-end switching circuitry 75 is operable toreceive an RF transmission signal TXL2 from the RF transceiver circuitryat the RF port RFLB1. The RF transmission signal TXL2 is a primarytransmission MIMO signal. During a time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXL2, an RF transmission signal TXMIMO3 is receivedat the RF port RFLB3. The RF transmission signal TXMIMO3 operates in thelow band and is a secondary transmission MIMO signal.

The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110LA to the receive signal flow and the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB to the receive flow while the control circuit 46 is in thethird LTE MIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RF receivesignal RXL2. To receive the RF receive signal RXL2 from the antenna ANT1during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL2, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thus alsothe antenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-2. Toreceive the RF receive signal RXL2 from the antenna ANT2 during the timeslot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL2, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-2. Accordingly, thecontrol circuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2(and thus also from which of the antenna ports 20, 20′) to receive theRF receive signal RXL2 (the primary receive MIMO signal) during thethird LTE MIMO mode and during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXL2. The control circuit 46 may be configured to selectfrom which antenna ANT1, ANT2 (and thus also from which of the antennaports 20, 20′) to receive the RF receive signal RXL2 (the primaryreceive MIMO signal) based on TRP data and/or TIS data.

The RF receive signal RXMIMO3 is received simultaneously with the RFreceive signal RXL2 while the control circuit 46 is in the third LTEMIMO mode during the time slot for reception of the RF receive signalRXL2. When the RF receive signal RXL2 is received by the antenna ANT1(and thus at the antenna port 20) during the time slot for reception ofthe RF receive signal RXL2, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 96 (and thus the antenna port 20′ and the antennaANT2) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-3. When the RFreceive signal RXL2 is received by the antenna ANT2 (and thus at theantenna port 20′) during the time slot for reception of the RF receivesignal RXL2, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling ofthe low band antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94(and thus the antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-4. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 isconfigured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive thesecondary RF receive signal RXMIMO3 during the third LTE MIMO mode andduring the time slot for reception of the RF receive signal RXL2. The RFreceive signal RXL2 and the RF receive signal RXMIMO3 are receivedsimultaneously during the third LTE MIMO mode and during the time slotfor reception of the RF receive signal RXL2.

In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port90 is coupled to the throw port 92-5 (the grounded throw port) for aslong as the control circuit 46 is in the third LTE MIMO mode.Alternatively, the control circuit 46 may control the selective couplingof the high band switching circuitry 80 such that the pole port 90 isdecoupled from all of the throw ports 92 for as long as the controlcircuit 46 is in the third LTE MIMO mode. Also, in this embodiment, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(A) such that the pole port 24(1)(A) is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 22(1)(A) and controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS14(1)(B) such that the pole port 24(1)(B) is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 22(1)(B). Alternatively, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) such that the pole port24(1)(A) is selectively coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown) andcontrols the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) such that thepole port 24(1)(B) is selectively coupled to a grounded throw port (notshown) in the third LTE MIMO mode.

With regard to transmission, the control circuit 46 sets the signal flowof the directional coupler 110LA to the transmission signal flow and thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110LB to the transmission signalflow while the control circuit 46 is in the third LTE MIMO mode duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2. Totransmit the RF transmission signal TXL2 from the antenna ANT1 duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-1. To transmit the RF transmission signalTXL2 from the antenna ANT2 during the time slot for transmission of theRF transmission signal TXL2, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port 20′) isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-1. Accordingly, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 totransmit the RF transmission signal TXL2 (the primary transmission MIMOsignal) during the third LTE MIMO mode during the time slot fortransmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2. The control circuit 46may be configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 (and thus alsofrom which of the antenna ports 20, 20′) to transmit the RF transmissionsignal TXL2 based on TRP data and/or TIS data.

The RF transmission signal TXMIMO3 is transmitted simultaneously withthe RF transmission signal TXL2 while the control circuit 46 is in thethird LTE MIMO mode during the time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXL2. When the RF transmission signal TXL2 istransmitted by the antenna ANT1 (and thus by the antenna port 20) duringthe time slot for transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 100-4. When the RF transmission signal TXL2 is received bythe antenna ANT2 (and thus at the antenna port 20′) during the time slotfor transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2, the control circuit46 controls the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thus the antenna port 20and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-4.Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to select from whichantenna ANT1, ANT2 to transmit the secondary RF transmission signalTXMIMO3 during the third LTE MIMO mode and during the time slot fortransmission of the RF transmission signal TXL2.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a fourth LTE MIMO mode. Thecontrol circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LAto the transmission signal flow, the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HA to the receive signal flow, the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LB to the transmission signal flow, and thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110HB to the receive signal flowwhile the control circuit 46 is in the fourth LTE MIMO mode. While thecontrol circuit 46 is in the fourth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit46 may generate the switch control output 50(1) with a switch controloutput permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(A) beingdecoupled from all of the throw ports 22(1)(A), or alternatively,coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown). In addition, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(2) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(B) beingselectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(A)-3. In this embodiment,the RF receive signal RXTDD3 is a primary receive MIMO signal and is ina high band. Furthermore, the control circuit 46 may generate the switchcontrol output 50(SHB) with a switch control output permutation thatresults in the pole port 90 being selectively coupled to the throw port92-1. The throw port 92-1 is operable to transmit an RF receive signalRXMIMO4 to the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown). The RF receivesignal RXMIMO4 is in a high band and is a secondary receive MIMO signal.As in the third LTE MIMO mode, the RF transmission signal TXL2 is theprimary MIMO transmission signal and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO3is the secondary MIMO transmission signal.

To receive the RF receive signal RXTDD3 from the antenna ANT1 and toreceive the RF receive signal RXMIMO4 from the antenna ANT2 during thefourth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that thepole port 102 (and thus also the antenna port 20) is selectively coupledto the throw port 106-3 and controls the selective coupling of the highband antenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (andthus also the antenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port108-2. To receive the RF receive signal RXTDD3 from the antenna ANT2 andto receive the RF receive signal RXMIMO4 from the antenna ANT1 duringthe fourth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that thepole port 104 (and thus also the antenna port 20′) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-3 and controls the selective coupling ofthe high band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102(and thus also the antenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throwport 106-2. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to selectfrom which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive the RF receive signal RXTDD3(the primary transmission MIMO signal) and the RF receive signal RXMIMO4during the fourth LTE MIMO mode.

With regard to transmission, while the control circuit 46 is in thefourth LTE MIMO mode, the RF transmission signal TXL2 is the primarytransmission MIMO signal and the RF MIMO signal TXMIMO3 is the secondarytransmission MIMO signal. To transmit the RF transmission signal TXL2from the antenna ANT1 and to transmit the RF transmission signal TXMIMO3from the antenna ANT2 during the fourth LTE MIMO mode, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thus also theantenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-1 andcontrols the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-4. To transmit the RFtransmission signal TXL2 from the antenna ANT2 and to transmit the RFtransmission signal TXMIMO3 from the antenna ANT2 during the fourth LTEMIMO mode, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of thelow band antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (andthus also the antenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port98-4 and controls the selective coupling of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus also theantenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-1.Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to select from whichantenna ANT1, ANT2 to transmit the RF transmission signal TXL2 (theprimary transmission MIMO signal) and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO3during the fourth LTE MIMO mode. The RF receive signal RXTDD3 and the RFreceive signal RXMIMO4 are received, and the RF transmission signal TXL2and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO3 are transmitted simultaneouslywhile the control circuit 46 is in the fourth LTE MIMO mode.Accordingly, the fourth LTE MIMO mode may be synchronous and timed inaccordance with time slots or, alternatively, the fourth LTE MIMO modemay also be asynchronous (or at least partially asynchronous) and nottimed in accordance with the time slots.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a fifth LTE MIMO mode. Thecontrol circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LAto the receive signal flow, the signal flow of the directional coupler110HA to the transmission signal flow, the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LB to the receive signal flow, and the signalflow of the directional coupler 110HB to the transmission signal flowwhile the control circuit 46 is in the fifth LTE MIMO mode. While thecontrol circuit 46 is in the fifth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46may generate the switch control output 50(2) with a switch controloutput permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(B) beingdecoupled from all of the throw ports 22(1)(B), or alternatively,coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown). In addition, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(1) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(A) beingselectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(A)-3. In this embodiment,the RF transmission signal TXTDD3 is a primary transmission MIMO signaland is in a high band. Furthermore, the control circuit 46 may generatethe switch control output 50(SHB) with a switch control outputpermutation that results in the pole port 90 being selectively coupledto the throw port 92-2. The throw port 92-2 is operable to receive an RFtransmission signal TXMIMO4 at the throw port 92-2 from the RFtransceiver circuitry. The RF transmission signal TXMIMO4 is in the highband and is a secondary transmission MIMO signal.

To transmit the RF transmission signal TXTDD3 from the antenna ANT1 andto transmit the RF transmission signal TXMIMO4 from the antenna ANT2during the fifth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 suchthat the pole port 102 (and thus also the antenna port 20) isselectively coupled to the throw port 106-1 and controls the selectivecoupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 such that thepole port 104 (and thus also the antenna port 20′) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-2. To transmit the RF transmission signalTXTDD3 from the antenna ANT2 and to transmit the RF transmission signalTXMIMO4 from the antenna ANT1 during the fifth LTE MIMO mode, thecontrol circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (and thusalso the antenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port108-1 and controls the selective coupling of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 (and thus also theantenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-2.Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to select from whichantenna ANT1, ANT2 to transmit the RF transmission signal TXTDD3 (theprimary transmission MIMO signal) and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO4during the fifth LTE MIMO mode.

As in the second LTE MIMO mode, the RF receive signal RXL1 is theprimary RF receive MIMO signal and the RF MIMO signal RXMIMO2 is thesecondary RF receive MIMO signal. To receive the RF receive signal RXL1from the antenna ANT1 during the fifth LTE MIMO mode and to receive theRF receive signal RXMIMO2 from the antenna ANT2 during the fifth LTEMIMO mode, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of thelow band antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (andthus also the antenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port98-1 and controls the selective coupling of the low band antennaselection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus also theantenna port 20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-4. Toreceive the RF receive signal RXL1 from the antenna ANT2 during thefifth LTE MIMO mode and to receive the RF receive signal RXMIMO2 fromthe antenna ANT1 during the fifth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82 such that the pole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port20′) is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-1 and controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 suchthat the pole port 94 (and thus also the antenna port 20) is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-4. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 isconfigured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive the RFreceive signal RXL1 (the primary receive MIMO signal) and the RF receivesignal RXMIMO2 during the fifth LTE MIMO mode. The RF transmissionsignal TXTDD3 and the RF transmission signal TXMIMO4 are transmitted andthe RF receive signal RXL1 and the RF receive signal RXMIMO2 arereceived simultaneously while the control circuit 46 is in the fifth LTEMIMO mode. Accordingly, the fifth LTE MIMO mode may be synchronous andtimed in accordance with time slots or, alternatively, the fifth LTEMIMO mode may be asynchronous (or at least partially asynchronous) andnot timed in accordance with the time slots.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a first LTE diversity mode.The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110LA to the transmission signal flow, the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110HA to the receive signal flow, the signal flow ofthe directional coupler 110LB to the transmission signal flow, and thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110HB to the receive signal flowwhile the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE diversity mode. Whilethe control circuit 46 is in the LTE diversity mode, the control circuit46 may generate the switch control output 50(2) with a switch controloutput permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(B) beingdecoupled from all of the throw ports 22(1)(B), or alternatively,coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown). In addition, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(1) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 24(1)(A) beingselectively coupled to the throw port 22(1)(A)-7. Furthermore, thecontrol circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SLB) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 86 beingselectively coupled to the throw port 88-3. The throw port 88-3 isoperable to receive an RF transmission signal TXL3 and to transmit theRF receive signal RXL3. The RF transmission signal TXFDD7 and the RFtransmission signal TXL3 are both transmit diversity signals and mayhave the same data. The RF receive signal RXFDD7 and the RF receivesignal RXL3 are both receive diversity signals and may also have thesame data. While the control circuit 46 is in the LTE diversity mode,the control circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SHB)with a switch control output permutation that results in the pole port90 being selectively coupled to the throw port 92-5 (the grounded throwport), or alternatively, such that the pole port 90 is decoupled fromall of the throw ports 92.

The control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (and thus theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 108-1 and such that the pole port 102 (and thus the antennaport 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port106-1. As such, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 is transmitted fromthe antenna ANT2 and the RF receive signal RXFDD7 is received at theantenna ANT1 while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE diversitymode.

The control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thus theantenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 98-2 and such that the pole port 96 (and thus the antennaport 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to the throw port100-2. As such, the RF transmission signal TXL3 is transmitted from theantenna ANT1 and the RF receive signal RXL3 is received at the antennaANT2 while the control circuit 46 is in the first LTE diversity mode.The RF transmission signal TXL3 may be transmitted from the antennaANT1, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 may be transmitted from theantenna ANT2, the RF receive signal RXFDD7 may be received from theantenna ANT1, and the RF receive signal RXL3 may be received from theantenna ANT2 simultaneously during the first LTE diversity mode. Thus,the first LTE diversity mode may be synchronous and timed in accordancewith time slots or, alternatively, the first LTE diversity mode may beasynchronous (or at least partially asynchronous) and not timed inaccordance with the time slots.

While various LTE modes of operation have been described with regard tothe antenna switching circuitry 74 shown in FIG. 7, these LTE modes arenot exhaustive of the LTE specifications that may be implemented withthe control circuit 46. An almost limitless variety of different RFcommunication specifications may be implemented with the antennaswitching circuitry 74 in FIG. 7 and the other embodiments described inthis disclosure. These different RF communication specifications wouldbe apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of thisdisclosure and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

For example, FIGS. 8 and 8A-8C illustrate exemplary RF front-endcircuitry that includes another embodiment of antenna switchingcircuitry 112. The antenna switching circuitry 112 is the same as theantenna switching circuitry 74 shown in FIGS. 7 and 7A-7C, except inthis embodiment, the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) of FIG. 4 (rather than the MTMEMS14(1)(A) in FIG. 7) may be coupled to the RF port RFHB1, and the MTMEMS14(2)(B) of FIG. 4 (rather than the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) in FIG. 7) may becoupled to the RF port RFHB2. The antenna switching circuitry 112includes the control circuit 46 described above. In this embodiment, theMEMS subcontroller 58 generates the switch control output 50(3) and theswitch control output 50(4), as explained above with respect to FIG. 4,rather than the switch control outputs 50(1) and 50(2). The controlcircuit 46 is operable in the first LTE MIMO mode, the second LTE MIMOmode, the third LTE MIMO mode, the fourth LTE MIMO mode, and the fifthLTE MIMO mode as described above with respect to FIG. 7. However, withregard to the first LTE MIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, the thirdLTE MIMO mode, the fourth LTE MIMO mode, and the fifth LTE MIMO mode,the pole port 24(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) of FIG. 7 corresponds tothe pole port 24(2)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) in FIG. 8A, and the throwports 22(1)(A)-1, 22(1)(A)-2, 22(1)(A)-3, 22(1)(A)-4, 22(1)(A)-5,22(1)(A)-6 correspond to the throw ports 22(2)(A)-1, 22(2)(A)-2,22(2)(A)-3, 22(2)(A)-4, 22(2)(A)-5, 22(2)(A)-6 in FIG. 8A. Furthermore,the pole port 24(1)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) of FIG. 7 corresponds tothe pole port 24(2)(B) of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) in FIG. 8A, and the throwports 22(1)(B)-1, 22(1)(B)-2, 22(1)(B)-3 correspond to the throw ports22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3 in FIG. 8A.

In this embodiment, the control circuit 46 is operable in a second LTEdiversity mode, rather than the first LTE diversity mode, because the RFreceive signal RXFDD7 and the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 are providedat the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) for the RF receive signals RXTDD1, RXTDD2, RXTDD3rather than the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) for the RF transmission signal TXTDD1,TXTDD2, TXTDD3, TXTDD4, TXTDD5, TXTDD6 as in FIGS. 7, 7A. The controlcircuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LA to thetransmission signal flow, the signal flow of the directional coupler110HA to the receive signal flow, the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB to the receive signal flow, and the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110HB to the transmission signal flow while thecontrol circuit 46 is in the second LTE diversity mode. Again, the RFtransmission signal TXFDD7 and the RF receive signal RXFDD7 are providedat the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD, not at the throw port 22(1)(A)-7 as inFIGS. 7 and 7A. The RF receive signal RXL3 and the RF transmissionsignal TXL3 are also used in the second LTE diversity mode, as in thefirst LTE diversity mode.

While the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE diversity mode, thecontrol circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(3) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 24(2)(A)being decoupled from all of the throw ports 22(2)(A), or alternatively,coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown). In addition, the controlcircuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(4) with a switchcontrol output permutation that results in the pole port 24(2)(B) beingselectively coupled to the throw port 22(2)(B)-ADD. Furthermore, as inthe previous embodiment, the control circuit 46 may generate the switchcontrol output 50(SLB) with a switch control output permutation thatresults in the pole port 86 being selectively coupled to the throw port88-3. The throw port 88-3 is operable to provide the RF transmissionsignal TXL3 and the RF receive signal RXL3.

While the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE diversity mode, thecontrol circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SHB) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 90 beingselectively coupled to the throw port 92-5 (the grounded throw port), oralternatively such that the pole port 90 is decoupled from all of thethrow ports 92.

The control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 104 (and thus theantenna port 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 108-3 and such that the pole port 102 (and thus the antennaport 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to the throw port106-3. As such, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 is transmitted fromthe antenna ANT2 and the RF receive signal RXFDD7 is received from theantenna ANT1 while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE diversitymode.

Also, the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the lowband antenna selection circuitry 82 such that the pole port 94 (and thusthe antenna port 20 and the antenna ANT1) is selectively coupled to thethrow port 98-2 and such that the pole port 96 (and thus the antennaport 20′ and the antenna ANT2) is selectively coupled to the throw port100-2. As such, the RF transmission signal TXL3 is transmitted from theantenna ANT1 and the RF receive signal RXL3 is received from the antennaANT2 while the control circuit 46 is in the second LTE diversity mode.The RF transmission signal TXL3 may be transmitted from the antennaANT1, the RF transmission signal TXFDD7 may be transmitted from theantenna ANT2, the RF receive signal RXTDD7 may be received from theantenna ANT1, and the RF receive signal RXL3 may be received from theantenna ANT2 simultaneously during the second LTE diversity mode. Thus,the second LTE diversity mode may be synchronous and timed in accordancewith time slots or, alternatively, the second LTE diversity mode may beasynchronous (or at least partially asynchronous) and not timed inaccordance with the time slots.

FIGS. 9 and 9A-9C illustrate exemplary RF front-end circuitry thatincludes another embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 114. Theantenna switching circuitry 114 is the same as the antenna switchingcircuitry 74 shown in FIGS. 7A-7C, except in this embodiment, the MTMEMS14(3)(A) of FIG. 5 (rather than the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) of FIG. 7) may becoupled to the RF port RFHB1 and the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) of FIG. 4 (ratherthan the MTMEMS 14(1)(B) of FIG. 7) may be coupled to the RF port RFHB2.The antenna switching circuitry 114 includes the control circuit 46described above. However, the MEMS subcontroller 58 generates the switchcontrol output 50(5) and the switch control output 50(6), as explainedabove with respect to FIG. 5, rather than the switch control outputs50(1) and 50(2).

The control circuit 46 in FIGS. 9 and 9A-9C is operable in the first LTEMIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, the third LTE MIMO mode, the fourthLTE MIMO mode, the fifth LTE MIMO mode, and the first LTE diversity modedescribed above with respect to FIG. 7. However, with regard to thefirst LTE MIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, the third LTE MIMO mode,the fourth LTE MIMO mode, the fifth LTE MIMO mode, and the first LTEdiversity mode, the pole port 24(1)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(1)(A) of FIG. 7corresponds to the pole port 24(3)(A) of the MTMEMS 14(3)(A) in FIG. 9A,and the throw ports 22(1)(A)-1, 22(1)(A)-2, 22(1)(A)-3, 22(1)(A)-4,22(1)(A)-5, 22(1)(A)-6, 22(1)(A)-7, correspond to the throw ports22(3)(A)-1, 22(3)(A)-2, 22(3)(A)-3, 22(3)(A)-4, 22(3)(A)-5, 22(3)(A)-6,22(3)(A)-7 in FIG. 9A. Furthermore, the pole port 24(1)(B) of the MTMEMS14(1)(B) of FIG. 7 corresponds to the pole port 24(3)(B) of the MTMEMS14(3)(B) in FIG. 9A, and the throw ports 22(1)(B)-1, 22(1)(B)-2,22(1)(B)-3, correspond to the throw ports 22(3)(B)-1, 22(3)(B)-2,22(3)(B)-3 in FIG. 9A.

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a third LTE diversity mode.While the control circuit 46 is in the third LTE diversity mode, thecontrol circuit 46 may generate the switch control output 50(SLB) with aswitch control output permutation that results in the pole port 86 beingselectively coupled to the throw port 88-1. Also, while the controlcircuit 46 is in the third LTE diversity mode, the control circuit 46may generate the switch control output 50(5) with a switch controloutput permutation that results in the pole port 24(3)(A) beingselectively coupled to the throw port 22(3)(A)-5 and the switch controloutput 50(6) with a switch control output permutation that results inthe pole port 24(3)(B) being selectively coupled to the throw port22(3)(B)-CO. Furthermore, the throw port 88-1 is operable to receive anRF transmission signal TXL4 from the RF transceiver circuitry (notshown) and to transmit an RF receive signal RXL4 to the transceivercircuitry at the RF port RFLB2. The control circuit 46 thus selectivelycouples the pole port 86 of the low band switching circuitry 78 to thethrow port 88-1 while the control circuit 46 is in the third LTEdiversity mode. Furthermore, the control circuit 46 sets the signal flowof the directional coupler 110LA to the transmission signal flow, thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110LB to the receive signal flow,the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HA to the receive signalflow, and the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HB to thetransmission signal flow while the control circuit 46 is in the thirdLTE diversity mode.

In the third LTE diversity mode, the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO is inthe high band and the RF receive signal RXL4 is in a low band. Both theRF receive signal RXL4 and the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO are diversityreceive signals and may include the same data. Additionally, the RFtransmission signal TXTDD5 is in the high band and the RF transmissionsignal TXL4 is in a low band. Both the RF transmission signal TXTDD5 andthe RF transmission signal TXL4 are diversity transmission signals andmay include the same data. The RF transmission signals TXTDD5, TXL4 andthe RF receive signals RXTDD-CO, RXL4 are all formatted in accordancewith an LTE diversity specification in the third LTE diversity mode.

To transmit the RF transmission signal TXL4 from the antenna ANT1 duringthe time slot for transmission of both the RF transmission signal TXL4and the RF transmission signal TXTDD5, the control circuit 46 controlsthe selective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82such that the pole port 94 (and thus also the antenna port 20) isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-3. To transmit the RFtransmission signal TXTDD5 from the antenna ANT2 during the time slotfor transmission of the RF transmission signal TXL4 and the RFtransmission signal TXTDD5, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84 suchthat the pole port 104 is selectively coupled to the throw port 108-1(and thus also to the antenna port 20′). The RF transmission signalTXTDD5 and the RF transmission signal TXL4 are thus transmittedsimultaneously during the time slot for transmission of the RFtransmission signal TXL4 and the RF transmission signal TXTDD5.

To receive the RF receive signal RXL4 from the antenna ANT2 during thetime slot for reception of both the RF receive signal RXL4 and the RFreceive signal RXTDD-CO, the control circuit 46 controls the selectivecoupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82 such that thepole port 96 (and thus also the antenna port 20′) is selectively coupledto the throw port 100-3. To receive the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO fromthe antenna ANT1 during the time slot for reception of both the RFreceive signal RXL4 and the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84 such that the pole port 102 (and thus also theantenna port 20) is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-3. The RFreceive signal RXTDD-CO and the RF receive signal RXL4 are thus bothreceived simultaneously during the time slot for reception of the RFreceive signal RXL4 and the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO. Furthermore, thecontrol circuit 46 is configured to decouple the pole port 86 from allof the throw ports 88 (or alternatively, to selectively couple the poleport 86 to the grounded throw port 88-5), and the pole port 90 from allof the throw ports 92 (or alternatively, to selectively couple the poleport 90 to the grounded throw port 92-5) while the control circuit 46 isin the third LTE diversity mode.

Referring now to FIGS. 10, 10A, and 10B, FIG. 10 illustrates exemplaryRF front-end circuitry that includes another embodiment of antennaswitching circuitry 118 operably associated with RF transceivercircuitry 120. The antenna switching circuitry 118 shown in FIG. 10 isdesigned to provide antenna switching functionality for a front-endtransceiver module of a Worldphone or World tablet. Some high bandreceive diversity and receive LTE MIMO specifications for Worldphonesand World tablets require operation with three antennas, where two ofthe three antennas are used to provide carrier aggregation for specifiedband combinations. In this embodiment, the antenna switching circuitry118 is operable to provide switching functionality between the antennaANT1 at the antenna port 20, the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′,and an antenna ANT3 at an antenna port 20″. The RF transceiver circuitry120 includes a plurality of RF transceiver ports (referred togenerically as elements TR, and specifically as elements TR1-TR29). Eachof the RF transceiver ports TR may be coupled to one or more transmitchains and/or one or more receiver chains for processing RF signals. Inthis embodiment, the RF transceiver circuitry 120 has a plurality oftransmit chains and a plurality of receiver chains. Each of thesetransmit chains may be configured to process RF transmission signals inone or more RF communication bands, and in accordance with one or moreRF communication specifications. Similarly, each of the receiver chainsmay be configured to process one or more RF receive signals in one ormore RF communication bands and/or in accordance with one or more RFcommunication specifications.

The antenna switching circuitry 118 is configured to selectively couplethe RF transceiver ports TR to one or more of the antenna ANT1 at theantenna port 20, the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′, and theantenna ANT3 at the antenna port 20″, as described in further detailbelow. In FIG. 10, the antenna switching circuitry 118 includes thefront-end switching circuitry 75 described above with respect to FIG. 7.The front-end switching circuitry 75 is coupled to the antenna port 20and the antenna port 20′ as described above. The antenna switchingcircuitry 118 also includes an MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ and a DPMTMEMS 122.Alternative embodiments may provide other types of MT switches insteadof the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ and the DPMTMEMS, such as an MTSTS rather thanthe MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ and a double pole MTSTS (DPMTSTS) rather than theDPMTMEMS. The antenna switching circuitry 118 also includes the MTMEMS14(2)(A) coupled to the RF port RFHB1 as described above with regard toFIG. 4 and FIGS. 8 and 8A. However, the MTMEMS 14(2)(A) is not shown inFIG. 10 for the sake of clarity.

Referring again to FIGS. 10, 10A, and 10B, FIG. 10A illustrates a moredetailed view of one embodiment of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′. The MTMEMS14(2)(B)′ includes the pole port 24(2)(B) as described above withrespect to the MTMEMS 14(2)(B) in FIG. 4 and FIGS. 8 and 8A. The poleport 24(2)(B) is thus coupled to the RF port RFHB2 of the front-endswitching circuitry 75. Like the MTMEMS 14(2)(B), the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′includes the throw ports 22(2)(B)-ADD, 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2,22(2)(B)-3, but in addition, the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ includes the throwport 22(3)(B)-CO (of the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) described above with regard toFIGS. 5, 9, and 9A), and throw ports 126, 128, 130. The throw ports22(2)(B)-ADD, 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2, 22(2)(B)-3, 22(3)(B)-CO, 126, 128,130 of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ are referred to generically as throw portsRXT. The MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ is configured to selectively couple the throwport 24(2)(B) to any one of the throw ports RXT. The MEMS subcontroller58 generates a switch control output 50(RXT) in accordance with the MEMSswitch control mode output 64.

The antenna switching circuitry 118 includes the control circuit 46described above. The master subcontroller 54 is included in the RFtransceiver circuitry 120. Furthermore, the control circuit 46 furtherincludes a MEMS subcontroller 58(T1) operably associated with the mastersubcontroller 54, which also receives the MEMS switch control modeoutput 64. The MEMS subcontroller 58(T1) generates a switch controloutput 50(T1) in accordance with the MEMS switch control mode output 64.Different switch control permutations of the switch control output50(T1) may be provided to operate the DPMTMEMS 122 as described below.

The control circuit 46 operates in the same manner as the controlcircuit 46 described above with respect to FIGS. 8 and 8A-8C withrespect to the throw ports 22(2)(B)-ADD, 22(2)(B)-1, 22(2)(B)-2,22(2)(B)-3. As such, the control circuit 46 is operable in the first LTEMIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, the third LTE MIMO mode, the fourthLTE MIMO mode, the fifth LTE MIMO mode, and the first LTE diversity modedescribed above with respect to FIGS. 8, 8A-8C. In addition, since theMTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ also includes the throw port 22(3)(B)-CO that providesthe RF receive signal RXTDD-CO (as described above with respect to FIGS.9 and 9A-9C), the control circuit 46 is further operable in the thirdLTE diversity mode described above, except with the pole port 24(2)(B)rather than the pole port 24(3)(B). The MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ furtherincludes the throw ports 126, 128, 130. The MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ isconfigured to transmit an RF receive signal RXMIMOA, an RF receivesignal RXMIMOB, and an RF receive signal RXMIMOC from the throw ports126, 128, 130, respectively. The operation of the control circuit 46with respect to the RF receive signal RXMIMOA, the RF receive signalRXMIMOB, and the RF receive signal RXMIMOC is explained in furtherdetail below.

Referring again to FIGS. 10, 10A, and 10B, FIG. 10B illustrates a moredetailed view of one embodiment of the DPMTMEMS 122. As shown in FIG.10B, the DPMTMEMS 122 includes a pole port 132 and a set of throw ports(referred to generically as elements 134, and specifically as elements134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4), 134(5)). The DPMTMEMS 122 also includesa pole port 136 and a set of throw ports (referred to generically aselements 138, and specifically as elements 138(1), 138(2), 138(3),138(4), 138(5), 138(6), 138(7), 138(8), 138(9)). The DPMTMEMS 122 isconfigured to selectively couple the pole port 132 to any one of thethrow ports 134, and to selectively couple the pole port 136 to any oneof the throw ports 138. Each of the throw ports 134(1), 134(2), 134(3),134(4), 134(5) is directly coupled to one of the throw ports 138(1),138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5), respectively. However, the throw ports138(6), 138(7), 138(8), 138(9) are not coupled to any of the throw ports134 and are thus independent throw ports. As a result, the DPMTMEMS 122is only a partially integrated DPMTMEMS.

Referring again to FIGS. 10, 10A, and 10B, the antenna switchingcircuitry 118 includes a directional coupler 110C coupled between thepole port 136 of the DPMTMEMS 122 and the antenna port 20″ (and thus theantenna ANT3). The throw switch network TSN is operably associated withthe directional coupler 110C. Through the throw switch network TSN, thecontrol circuit 46 is configured to switch a signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110C using the switch control output 50(TSN). Theantenna ANT3 is configured so as to operate in the high band. Byselectively coupling one of the throw ports 138 to the pole port 136,the control circuit 46 selectively couples the antenna port 20″ and theantenna ANT3 to the selected throw port 138. When the control circuit 46decouples all of the throw ports 138 from the pole port 136, the antennaport 20″ and the antenna ANT3 are decoupled.

Note that in this embodiment, the pole port 132 is coupled to the RFport RFHB3 of the front-end switching circuitry 75. Since each of thethrow ports 134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4), 134(5) is directly coupledto one of the throw ports 138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5), theantenna port 20″ and the antenna ANT3 are coupled to the RF port RFHB3when the pole port 136 is selectively coupled to any one of the throwports 138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5), and when the pole port 132is selectively coupled to the throw port 134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4),134(5) that is directly connected to the selected one of the throw ports138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5). The antenna port 20″ and theantenna ANT3 are decoupled from the RF port RFHB3 when 1) the pole port136 is decoupled from all of the throw ports 138; 2) the pole port 132is not selectively coupled to the throw port 134(1), 134(2), 134(3),134(4), 134(5) that is directly connected to the throw port 138(1),138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5) that is selectively coupled to the poleport 136; 3) the pole port 132 is decoupled from all of the throw ports134 (or alternatively, it is coupled to a grounded throw port (notshown)); or 4) the throw port 136 is selectively coupled to one of thethrow ports 138(6), 138(7), 138(8), 138(9) (i.e., the independent throwports).

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 10B, each of the throw ports 138(1), 138(2),138(3), 138(4), 138(5), 138(6), 138(7), 138(8) is further coupled to theRF transceiver circuitry 120. More specifically, each of the throw ports138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5), 138(6), 138(7), 138(8) iscoupled to one of the RF transceiver ports TR8, TR9, TR24, TR25, TR26,TR27, TR28, TR29, respectively. The antenna port 20″ and the antennaANT3 are selectively coupled to one of the RF transceiver ports TR27,TR28, TR29 when the pole port 136 is selectively coupled to any one ofthe throw ports 138(6), 138(7), 138(8), regardless of which throw port134 is selectively coupled to the pole port 132. In contrast, theantenna port 20″ and the antenna ANT3 are selectively coupled to one ofthe RF transceiver ports TR8, TR9, TR24, TR25, TR26 when the pole port136 is selectively coupled to any one of the throw ports 138(1), 138(2),138(3), 138(4), 138(5) and when either the pole port 132 is notselectively coupled to the throw port 134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4),134(5) that is directly connected to the selected one of the throw ports138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5), or the pole port 132 isdecoupled from all of the throw ports 134 (or alternatively, is coupledto a grounded throw port (not shown)).

Since the throw ports 138(6), 138(7), 138(8), 138(9) are independentthrow ports, the RF port RFHB3 cannot be coupled to the RF transceiverports TR27, TR28, TR29 of the DPMTMEMS 122. However, the RF port RFHB3is selectively coupled to any one of the RF transceiver ports TR8, TR9,TR24, TR25, TR26, when the pole port 132 is selectively coupled to anyone of the throw ports 134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4), 134(5) andwhen 1) the throw port 136 is selectively coupled to one of the throwports 138(6), 138(7), 138(8), 138(9); 2) the pole port 136 is notselectively coupled to the throw port 138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4),138(5) that is directly connected to the selected one of the throw ports134(1), 134(2), 134(3), 134(4), 134(5); or 3) the pole port 136 isdecoupled from all of the throw ports 138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4),138(5). Note that it is possible for the RF port RFHB3 to be selectivelycoupled to one of the RF transceiver ports TR8, TR9, TR24, TR25, TR26and the antenna port 20″ to be simultaneously selectively coupled to anyone of the RF transceiver ports TR8, TR9, TR24, TR25, TR26, TR27, TR28,TR29, so long as the pole port 136 is not simultaneously selectivelycoupled to the throw port 138(1), 138(2), 138(3), 138(4), 138(5) that isdirectly connected to the selected one of the throw ports 134(1),134(2), 134(3), 134(4), 134(5).

With respect to the first LTE MIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, thethird LTE MIMO mode, the fourth LTE MIMO mode, the fifth LTE MIMO mode,the second LTE diversity mode, and the third LTE diversity mode, thecontrol circuit 46 operates as described above with respect to theantenna port 20 and the antenna port 20′, while the antenna port 20″ andthe antenna ANT3 are not used. Accordingly, the control circuit 46selectively couples the pole port 136 of the DPMTMEMS 122 to the throwport 138(9) (the grounded throw port 138) or decouples the pole port 136from all of the throw ports 138 while the control circuit 46 is in thefirst LTE MIMO mode, the second LTE MIMO mode, the third LTE MIMO mode,the fourth LTE MIMO mode, the fifth LTE MIMO mode, the second LTEdiversity mode, or the third LTE diversity mode.

In this embodiment, the RF transmission signal TXMIMO1 is received fromthe RF transceiver port TR8 and the RF receive signal RXMIMO1 istransmitted from the RF transceiver port TR8. As such, in the first LTEMIMO mode, the control circuit 46 selectively couples the pole port 132of the MTMEMS to the throw port 134(1).

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a sixth LTE MIMO mode. Thecontrol circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HAto the receive signal flow, the signal flow of the directional coupler110HB to the receive signal flow, and the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110C to the receive signal flow while the control circuit 46 isin the sixth LTE MIMO mode. In the sixth LTE MIMO mode, an RF receivesignal RXP1 is a primary receive MIMO signal and the RF receive signalRXMIMOA is a secondary receive MIMO signal. Both of the RF receivesignals RXP1, RXMIMOA are in a high band.

While the control circuit 46 is in the sixth LTE MIMO mode, the controlcircuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ suchthat the pole port 24(2)(B) is selectively coupled to the throw port 130shown in FIG. 10A. In this manner, the RF receive signal RXMIMOA may betransmitted to the RF transceiver port TR15 in the RF transceivercircuitry from the throw port 130. However, as explained in furtherdetail below, the RF receive signal RXMIMOA may also be transmitted fromthe RF transceiver port TR27 to the RF transceiver circuitry 120. The RFreceive signal RXP1 is transmitted to the RF transceiver port TR25 fromthe throw port 138(4) in the DPMTMEMS 122 as shown in FIG. 10B.

The control circuit 46 also controls the selective coupling of theDPMTMEMS 122 such that the pole port 132 is selectively coupled to thethrow port 134(4), and thus the RF port RFHB3 is coupled to the throwport 134(4) while the control circuit 46 is in the sixth LTE MIMO mode.To receive the RF receive signal RXP1 at the antenna port 20″ from theantenna ANT3 during the sixth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the DPMTMEMS 122 such that the poleport 136 is selectively coupled to the throw port 138(4). The pole ports94, 96, 102, 104 are also decoupled from the throw ports 98-4, 100-4,106-4, and 108-4. Instead, to receive the RF receive signal RXMIMOA fromthe antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 during the sixth LTE MIMO modewhen the antenna port 20″ receives the RF receive signal RXP1, thecontrol circuit 46 selectively couples the pole port 102 to the throwport 106-3. In this manner, the RF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 102 and the antenna ANT1, and the RF receive signalRXMIMOA is transmitted to the RF transceiver port TR15.

In contrast, to receive the RF receive signal RXMIMOA from the antennaANT2 at the antenna port 20′ during the sixth LTE MIMO mode when theantenna port 20″ receives the RF receive signal RXP1, the controlcircuit 46 selectively couples the pole port 104 to the throw port108-3. In this manner, the RF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled to thepole port 104 and the antenna ANT2 and the RF receive signal RXMIMOA istransmitted to the RF transceiver port TR15. Accordingly, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 toreceive the RF receive signal RXMIMOA (the secondary receive MIMOsignal) during the sixth LTE MIMO mode when the antenna port 20″ (andthus the antenna ANT3) receives the RF receive signal RXP1 (the primaryreceive MIMO signal).

To receive the RF receive signal RXMIMOA at the antenna port 20″ fromthe antenna ANT3 in the sixth LTE MIMO mode, the control circuit 46controls the selective coupling of the DPMTMEMS 122 such that the poleport 136 is selectively coupled to the throw port 138(6). In this case,the RF receive signal RXMIMOA provided by the antenna ANT3 istransmitted from the throw port 138(6) to the RF transceiver port TR27in the RF transceiver circuitry 120. The pole ports 94, 96, 102, 104 aredecoupled from the throw ports 98-3, 100-3, 106-3, and 108-3. Instead,to receive the RF receive signal RXP1 from the antenna ANT1 at theantenna port 20 during the sixth LTE MIMO mode when the antenna port 20″receives the RF receive signal RXMIMOA, the control circuit 46selectively couples the pole port 102 to the throw port 106-4. Asmentioned above, the pole port 132 is still coupled to the throw port134(4). In this manner, the RF port RFHB3 is selectively coupled to thepole port 102 and the antenna ANT1, and the RF receive signal RXP1 istransmitted to the RF transceiver port TR25.

In contrast, to receive the RF receive signal RXP1 from the antenna ANT2at the antenna port 20′ during the sixth LTE MIMO mode when the antennaport 20″ receives the RF receive signal RXMIMOA, the control circuit 46selectively couples the pole port 104 to the throw port 108-4. In thismanner, the RF port RFHB3 is selectively coupled to the pole port 104and the antenna ANT2, and the RF receive signal RXP1 is transmitted tothe RF transceiver port TR25. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 isconfigured to select from which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive the RFreceive signal RXP1 (the primary receive MIMO signal) during the sixthLTE MIMO mode when the antenna port 20″ (and thus the antenna ANT3)receives the RF receive signal RXMIMOA (the secondary receive MIMOsignal). Also note that while the control circuit 46 is in the sixth LTEMIMO mode, the control circuit 46 is configured to select whether toreceive the RF receive signal RXP1 from the antenna ANT3 (and thus atthe antenna port 20″) or from either of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 (andthus at either of the antenna ports 20, 20′).

The control circuit 46 is also operable in a fourth LTE diversity mode.The control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110HA to the receive signal flow, the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HB to the receive signal flow, and the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110C to the receive signal flow while the controlcircuit 46 is in the fourth LTE diversity mode. In the fourth LTEdiversity mode, the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO is one of the diversityreceive signals, which, as mentioned above, is in the high band. An RFreceive signal RXD1 is another diversity receive signal and is also in ahigh band. The RF receive signal RXD1 and the RF receive signal RXTDD-COmay each be encoded with the same data. While the control circuit 46 isin the fourth LTE diversity mode, the control circuit 46 controls theselective coupling of the MTMEMS 14(2)(B)′ such that the pole port24(2)(B) is selectively coupled to the throw port 22(3)(B)-CO. In thismanner, the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO may be transmitted to the RFtransceiver port TR18 in the RF transceiver circuitry 120 by the throwport 22(3)(B)-CO as shown in FIG. 10B. The RF receive signal RXD1 mayalso be transmitted to the RF transceiver port TR28 and to the RFtransceiver circuitry 120 as shown in FIG. 10B.

Referring again to FIGS. 10, 10A, and 10B, the control circuit 46 alsocontrols the selective coupling of the DPMTMEMS 122 such that the poleport 132 is decoupled from all of the throw ports 134 (or alternatively,is coupled to a grounded throw port (not shown)). Furthermore, thecontrol circuit 46 also controls the selective coupling of the DPMTMEMS122 such that the pole port 136 is selectively coupled to the throw port138(7). As such, the RF receive signal RXD1 (one of the diversityreceive signals) is received from the antenna port 20″ (and thus theantenna ANT3) while the control circuit 46 is in the fourth LTEdiversity mode. To receive the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO from theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 during the fourth LTE diversitymode, the control circuit 46 selectively couples the pole port 102 tothe throw port 106-3. In this manner, the RF port RFHB2 is selectivelycoupled to the pole port 102 and the antenna ANT1, and the RF receivesignal RXTDD-CO is transmitted to the RF transceiver port TR18. Incontrast, to receive the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO from the antennaANT2 at the antenna port 20′ during the fourth LTE diversity mode, thecontrol circuit 46 selectively couples the pole port 104 to the throwport 108-3. In this manner, the RF port RFHB2 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 104 and the antenna ANT2, and the RF receive signalRXTDD-CO is transmitted to the RF transceiver port TR18, as shown inFIG. 10B. Accordingly, the control circuit 46 is configured to selectfrom which antenna ANT1, ANT2 to receive the RF receive signal RXTDD-CO(the other diversity receive signal) during the fourth LTE diversitymode when the antenna port 20″ (and thus the antenna ANT3) receives theRF receive signal RXD1.

FIG. 11 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includesanother embodiment of front-end switching circuitry 75′. The front-endswitching circuitry 75′ is similar to the front-end switching circuitry75 shown in FIGS. 7, 7B, 7C, 8, 8B, 8C, 9, 9B, 9C, and 10. The front-endswitching circuitry 75′ includes the low band switching circuitry 78 andthe high band switching circuitry 80 described above with respect toFIGS. 7, 7B, 8, 8B, 9, 9B, and 10. However, in this embodiment, thefront-end switching circuitry 75′ has low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82′ and high band antenna selection circuitry 84′.

The low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ is the same as the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82 in FIGS. 7, 7C, 8, 8C, 9, 9C, and 10,except that in this embodiment, the throw ports 98 of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82′ further include a throw port 98-M1 and athrow port 98-M2, and the throw ports 100 further include a throw port100-M1 and a throw port 100-M2. The throw ports 98-M1 and 98-M2 are notcoupled to any of the throw ports 100 and the throw ports 100-M1 and100-M2 are not coupled to any of the throw ports 98. Thus, each of thethrow ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100-M2 is an independent throw port.The low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ is a DPMTMEMS that is onlypartially integrated, because the throw ports 98-M1 and 98-M2 are notcoupled to any of the throw ports 100 and the throw ports 100-M1 and100-M2 are not coupled to any of the throw ports 98.

With regard to the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′, the highband antenna selection circuitry 84′ is the same as the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84 in FIGS. 7, 7C, 8, 8C, 9, 9C, and 10,except that in this embodiment, the throw ports 106 of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84′ further include a throw port 106-M1 anda throw port 106-M2, and the throw ports 108 further include the throwport 108-M1 and the throw port 108-M2. Otherwise, the front-endswitching circuitry 75′ is the same as the front-end switching circuitry75 and thus embodiments of the front-end switching circuitry 75′ may beused with the embodiments of the antenna switching circuitry 74illustrated in FIGS. 7, 7B, 7C, 8, 8B, 8C, 9, 9B, 9C, and 10. Thecontrol circuit 46 thus operates the front-end switching circuitry 75′in the same manner as described above with respect to the first LTE MIMOmode through the sixth LTE MIMO mode, and with respect to the first LTEdiversity mode through the fourth LTE diversity mode.

As shown in FIG. 11, the throw ports 106-M1 and 106-M2 are not coupledto any of the throw ports 108 and the throw ports 108-M1 and 108-M2 arenot coupled to any of the throw ports 106. Thus, each of the throw ports106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2 is an independent throw port.Accordingly, the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′ is a DPMTMEMSthat is only partially integrated, because the throw ports 106-M1 and106-M2 are not coupled to any of the throw ports 108 and the throw ports108-M1 and 108-M2 are not coupled to any of the throw ports 106. Sincethe throw ports 106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2 are independent, thethrow ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100-M2, 106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2experience less capacitance. This allows for low insertion losses andbetter RF performance.

In this embodiment, the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100-M2,106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2 further permit the control circuit 46 tooperate in several modes, including carrier aggregation modes. Thesecarrier aggregation modes provide antenna switching functionality inorder to implement RF communication specifications that require RFsignals to be formatted based on diversity and/or MIMO. The carrieraggregation modes may be used for both transmit diversity and transmitMIMO RF specifications, and thus may be implemented in different LTEMIMO modes and diversity modes.

The control circuit 46 is operable in various carrier aggregation modes.For example, the control circuit 46 operates in accordance with carrieraggregation modes that provide low band/low band transmit carrieraggregation, high band/high band receive carrier aggregation, lowband/high band transmit carrier aggregation, high band/low band receivecarrier aggregation, high band/high band transmit carrier aggregation,or low band/low band receive carrier aggregation. The carrieraggregation modes may provide additional versatility in that thesecarrier aggregation modes can be implemented so as to be applicable toRF communication specifications for both LTE diversity and LTE MIMO.

FIG. 11A illustrates the front-end switching circuitry 75′ while thecontrol circuit 46 is operating in a low band/low band transmit/highband/high band receive (LLT/HHR) carrier aggregation mode. The controlcircuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LA to thetransmission signal flow, and sets the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HA to the receive signal flow. The control circuit 46 alsosets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LB to thetransmission signal flow, and sets the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HB to the receive signal flow.

While the control circuit 46 is in the LLT/HHR carrier aggregation mode,the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82′ such that the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-M1, controls the selectivecoupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ such that thepole port 96 is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-M2, controlsthe selective coupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′such that the pole port 102 is selectively coupled to the throw port106-M1, and controls the selective coupling of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84′ such that the pole port 104 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-M2. Since the pole port 94 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 98-M1, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20,and the low band port 101LA are thus also selectively coupled to thethrow port 98-M1. Additionally, since the pole port 96 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 100-M2, the antenna ANT2, the antenna port20′, and the low band port 101LB are selectively coupled to the throwport 100-M2. Furthermore, since the pole port 102 is selectively coupledto the throw port 106-M1, the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, and thehigh band port 101HA are selectively coupled to the throw port 106-M1.Finally, since the pole port 104 is selectively coupled to the throwport 108-M2, the antenna ANT2, the antenna port 20′, and the high bandport 101HB are also selectively coupled to the throw port 108-M2.

The throw port 98-M1 is coupled to receive an RF transmission signalTXCA1 from the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown) and is selectivelycoupled to the pole port 94. The throw port 100-M2 is coupled to receivean RF transmission signal TXCA2 from the RF transceiver circuitry and isselectively coupled to the pole port 96. The RF transmission signalTXCA1 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2 are each in a low band andpropagate through the low band port 101LA, 101LB, respectively.Accordingly, the RF transmission signal TXCA1 is transmitted from theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2is transmitted from the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′. When theRF transmission signal TXCA1 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2 arediversity signals with the same data, there is no need to switch whichof the antennas ANT1, ANT2 is used to transmit the RF transmissionsignals TXCA1, TXCA2. However, when the RF transmission signal TXCA1 andthe RF transmission signal TXCA2 are MIMO signals formatted inaccordance with an RF MIMO specification, the RF transmission signalTXCA1 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2 may be provided to either oneof the antennas ANT1, ANT2.

To select which of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 transmits the RF transmissionsignal TXCA1 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2, the throw ports98-M1, 100-M2 are swapped so that the RF transmission signal TXCA2 isreceived at the throw port 98-M1 from the RF transceiver circuitry andthe RF transmission signal TXCA1 is received at the throw port 100-M2from the RF transceiver circuitry. In this manner, switching is notrequired by the front-end switching circuitry 75′ in order to selectwhich of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 transmits the RF transmission signalTXCA1 and the RF transmission signal TXCA2. This therefore reduces theswitching operations of the front-end switching circuitry 75′ andthereby increases performance. Furthermore, the LLT/HHR carrieraggregation mode may be used to implement an LTE diversity specificationor an LTE MIMO specification with the RF transmission signal TXCA1 andthe RF transmission signal TXCA2. The swapping of the throw ports 98-M1,100-M2 with regard to the RF transmission signals TXCA1, TXCA2 may beimplemented by the RF transceiver circuitry, as explained in furtherdetail below.

With regard to reception, the throw port 106-M1 is selectively coupledto the pole port 102 (and thus the high band port 101HA) so that thethrow port 106-M1 transmits an RF receive signal RXCA1 to the RFtransceiver circuitry (not shown). The throw port 108-M2 is selectivelycoupled to the pole port 104 (and thus the high band port 101HB) so thatthe pole port 104 transmits an RF receive signal RXCA2 to the RFtransceiver circuitry (not shown). Each of the RF receive signal RXCA1and the RF receive signal RXCA2 is in a high band. Accordingly, the RFreceive signal RXCA1 is received by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port20 and the RF receive signal RXCA2 is received by the antenna ANT2 atthe antenna port 20′.

When the RF receive signal RXCA1 and the RF receive signal RXCA2 arediversity signals with the same data, there is no need to switch whichof the antennas ANT1, ANT2 is used to receive the RF receive signalsRXCA1, RXCA2. However, when the RF receive signal RXCA1 and the RFreceive signal RXCA2 are MIMO signals formatted in accordance in an LTEMIMO specification, the RF receive signal RXCA1 and the RF receivesignal RXCA2 may be provided to either one of the antennas ANT1, ANT2.To select which of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 receives the RF receivesignal RXCA1 and the RF receive signal RXCA2, the throw ports 106-M1,108-M2 are swapped. For example, the RF receive signal RXCA2 may bereceived at the throw port 106-M1 and the RF receive signal RXCA1 may bereceived at the throw port 108-M2. The swapping of the throw ports106-M1, 108-M2 with regard to the RF receive signals RXCA1, RXCA2 may beimplemented by the RF transceiver circuitry. As such, switching is notrequired by the front-end switching circuitry 75′, which increases theperformance of the front-end switching circuitry 75′.

FIG. 11B illustrates the front-end switching circuitry 75′ while thecontrol circuit 46 is operating in a high band-high band transmit/lowband-low band receive (HHT/LLR) carrier aggregation mode. The controlcircuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LA to thereceive signal flow, and sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110HA to the transmission signal flow. The control circuit 46 also setsthe signal flow of the directional coupler 110LB to the receive signalflow, and sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110HB to thetransmission signal flow.

While the control circuit 46 is in the HHT/LLR carrier aggregation mode,the control circuit 46 controls the selective coupling of the low bandantenna selection circuitry 82′ such that the pole port 94 isselectively coupled to the throw port 98-M2, controls the selectivecoupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ such that thepole port 96 is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-M1, controlsthe selective coupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′such that the pole port 102 is selectively coupled to the throw port106-M2, and controls the selective coupling of the high band antennaselection circuitry 84′ such that the pole port 104 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-M1.

Since the pole port 94 is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-M2,the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, and the low band port 101LA areselectively coupled to the throw port 98-M2. Since the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-M1, the antenna ANT2, theantenna port 20′, and the low band port 101LB are also selectivelycoupled to the throw port 100-M1. Additionally, since the pole port 102is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-M2, the antenna ANT1, theantenna port 20, and the high band port 101HA are selectively coupled tothe throw port 106-M2. Finally, since the pole port 104 is selectivelycoupled to the throw port 108-M1, the antenna ANT2, the antenna port20′, and the high band port 101HB are also selectively coupled to thethrow port 108-M1.

By having the throw port 98-M2 selectively coupled to the pole port 94,the throw port 98-M2 is coupled to transmit an RF receive signal RXCA3to the RF transceiver circuitry (not shown) from the antenna ANT1.Similarly, the throw port 100-M1 is coupled to transmit an RF receivesignal RXCA4 to the RF transceiver circuitry from the antenna ANT2 sincethe throw port 100-M1 is selectively coupled to the pole port 96. Whenthe RF receive signal RXCA3 and the RF receive signal RXCA4 arediversity signals with the same data, there is no need to switch whichof the antennas ANT1, ANT2 is used to receive the RF receive signalsRXCA3, RXCA4. However, when the RF receive signal RXCA3 and the RFreceive signal RXCA4 are MIMO signals formatted in accordance with anLTE MIMO specification, the RF receive signal RXCA3 and the RF receivesignal RXCA4 may be provided to either one of the antennas ANT1, ANT2.For example, the RF receive signal RXCA4 may be received at the throwport 98-M2, rather than the throw port 100-M1, and the RF receive signalRXCA3 may be received at the throw port 100-M1, rather than the throwport 98-M2. The swapping of the throw ports 98-M2, 100-M1 with regard tothe RF receive signals RXCA3, RXCA4 may be implemented by the RFtransceiver circuitry. As such, switching is not required by thefront-end switching circuitry 75′, which increases the performance ofthe front-end switching circuitry 75′.

By having the throw port 106-M2 selectively coupled to the pole port102, the throw port 106-M2 is coupled to transmit an RF transmissionsignal TXCA3 from the RF transceiver circuitry to the antenna ANT1 atthe antenna port 20. The throw port 108-M1 is coupled to transmit an RFtransmission signal TXCA4 from the RF transceiver circuitry to theantenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ since the throw port 108-M1 isselectively coupled to the pole port 104. Each of the RF transmissionsignal TXCA3 and the RF transmission signal TXCA4 is in a high band.When the RF transmission signal TXCA3 and the RF transmission signalTXCA4 are diversity signals with the same data, there is no need toswitch which of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 is used to transmit the RFtransmission signal TXCA3, TXCA4. However, when the RF transmissionsignal TXCA3 and the RF transmission signal TXCA4 are MIMO signalsformatted in accordance with an LTE MIMO specification, the RFtransmission signal TXCA3 and the RF transmission signal TXCA4 may beprovided to either one of the antennas ANT1, ANT2. For example, the RFtransmission signal TXCA4 may be received at the throw port 106-M2 fromthe RF transceiver circuitry, rather than at the throw port 108-M1, andthe RF transmission signal TXCA3 may be received at the throw port108-M1, rather than at the throw port 106-M2. The swapping of the throwports 106-M2, 108-M1 with regard to the RF transmission signals TXCA3,TXCA4 may be implemented by the RF transceiver circuitry. As such,switching is not required by the front-end switching circuitry 75′,which increases the performance of the front-end switching circuitry75′.

FIG. 11C illustrates the front-end switching circuitry 75′ while thecontrol circuit 46 is operating in a low band/high band transmit/lowband/high band receive (LHT/LHR) carrier aggregation mode. Initially,the control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of the directional coupler110LA to the transmission signal flow, and sets the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110HA to the transmission signal flow. The controlcircuit 46 also sets the signal flow of the directional coupler 110LB tothe receive signal flow, and sets the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110HB to the receive signal flow.

While the control circuit 46 is initially in the HHT/LLR carrieraggregation mode, the control circuit 46 controls the selective couplingof the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ such that the pole port94 is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-M1, controls theselective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ suchthat the pole port 96 is selectively coupled to the throw port 100-M1,controls the selective coupling of the high band switching circuitry 80such that the pole port 90 is selectively coupled to the throw port92-3, controls the selective coupling of the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84′such that the pole port 102 is selectively coupled to thethrow port 106-2, and controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84′ such that the pole port 104 isselectively coupled to the throw port 108-3.

In this example, an RF transmission signal TXCA5 is received at thethrow port 98-M1 from RF transceiver circuitry and transmitted by theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20. An RF receive signal RXCA5 isreceived by the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ and is transmittedto the RF transceiver circuitry from the throw port 100-M1. The RFtransmission signal TXCA5 and the RF receive signal RXCA5 are both in alow band. Also, an RF transmission signal TXCA6 is received at the throwport 92-3 from the RF transceiver circuitry. The RF transmission signalTXCA6 is then transmitted to the pole port 90 and is received by thethrow port 106-2. Since the throw port 106-2 is selectively coupled tothe pole port 102, the transmission signal TXCA6 is transmitted by theantenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20. An RF receive signal RXCA6 isreceived at the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′ and is transmittedto the throw port 108-3 and then the RF port RFHB2. The RF transmissionsignal TXCA6 and the RF receive signal RXCA6 are both in a high band.

When the RF transmission signals TXCA5, TXCA6 and the RF receive signalRXCA5, RXCA6 are diversity signals with the same data, there is no needto switch which of the antennas ANT1, ANT2 is used to transmit the RFtransmission signals TXCA5, TXCA6 and the RF receive signals RXCA5,RXCA6. However, when the RF transmission signals TXCA5, TXCA6 and the RFreceive signal RXCA5, RXCA6 are MIMO signals formatted in accordancewith an RF MIMO specification, the RF transmission signals TXCA5, TXCA6and the RF receive signals RXCA5, RXCA6 may be provided to either one ofthe antennas ANT1, ANT2.

FIG. 11D illustrates the front-end switching circuitry 75′ while thecontrol circuit 46 is still operating in the LHT/LHR carrier aggregationmode but after the antennas ANT1, ANT2 have been swapped. To switch theantennas ANT1, ANT2, the control circuit 46 sets the signal flow of thedirectional coupler 110LA to the receive signal flow, and sets thesignal flow of the directional coupler 110HA to the receive signal flow.The control circuit 46 also sets the signal flow of the directionalcoupler 110LB to the transmission signal flow, and sets the signal flowof the directional coupler 110HB to the transmission signal flow.

While the control circuit 46 is in the LHT/LHR carrier aggregation modeand to switch the antennas ANT1, ANT2, the control circuit 46 controlsthe selective coupling of the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′such that the pole port 94 is selectively coupled to the throw port98-M1, controls the selective coupling of the low band antenna selectioncircuitry 82′ such that the pole port 96 is selectively coupled to thethrow port 100-M1, controls the selective coupling of the high bandswitching circuitry 80 such that the pole port 90 is selectively coupledto the throw port 92-3, controls the selective coupling of the high bandantenna selection circuitry 84′ such that the pole port 102 isselectively coupled to the throw port 106-3, and controls the selectivecoupling of the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′ such that thepole port 104 is selectively coupled to the throw port 108-2.

Since the pole port 94 is selectively coupled to the throw port 98-M1,the antenna ANT1, the antenna port 20, and the low band port 101LA areselectively coupled to the throw port 98-M1. Since the pole port 96 isselectively coupled to the throw port 100-M1, the antenna ANT2, theantenna port 20′, and the low band port 101LB are also selectivelycoupled to the throw port 100-M1. Additionally, since the pole port 102is selectively coupled to the throw port 106-3, the antenna ANT1, theantenna port 20, and the high band port 101HA are selectively coupled tothe throw port 106-3, and thus to the RF port RFHB2. Finally, since thepole port 104 is selectively coupled to the throw port 108-2, theantenna ANT2, the antenna port 20′, and the high band port 101HB arealso selectively coupled to the throw port 108-2 and the throw port92-3.

In this example, the RF transmission signal TXCA5 is received at thethrow port 100-M1 from the RF transceiver circuitry and is transmittedby the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′. The RF receive signal RXCA5is received by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port 20 and istransmitted to the RF transceiver circuitry from the throw port 98-M1.The RF transmission signal TXCA6 is received at the throw port 92-3 andis transmitted to the throw port 108-2. The throw port 108-2 receivesthe RF transmission signal TXCA6 so that the RF transmission signalTXCA6 is transmitted by the antenna ANT2 at the antenna port 20′. The RFreceive signal RXCA6 is received by the antenna ANT1 at the antenna port20 and is then transmitted to the throw port 106-3. The throw port 106-3then receives the RF receive signal RXCA6 and transmits the RF receivesignal RXCA6 to the RF port RFHB2. While the control circuit 46 is inthe LHT/LHR carrier aggregation mode, the control circuit 46 is operableto switch to and from the switching configurations shown in FIG. 11C andFIG. 11D in order to swap the antennas ANT1, ANT2 based on TRP and/orTIS measurements.

FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of a RF front-end module 140. The RFfront-end module 140 includes the front-end switching circuitry 75′described above with respect to FIGS. 11 and 11A-11D. In addition, theRF front-end module 140 includes RF transceiver circuitry 142, which inthis example has transmit chains (referred to generically as elements144, and specifically as elements 144A-144D). The transmit chains 144 ofthe RF transceiver circuitry 142 are configured to allow antennaswapping as described above with respect to FIGS. 11A-11D.

At a beginning of the transmit chains 144, a digital multiplexer DMUXthat receives data signal D1 and data signal D2 with encoded data. Thedigital multiplexer DMUX is operable to select one or both of the datasignals D1, D2. In this example, it is presumed that both the datasignal D1 and the data signal D2 have been selected for the sake ofsimplicity. The data signals D1, D2 are then each received by a digitalmodulator DM1, DM2, respectively.

The digital modulator DM1 is configured to convert the data signal D1into an I signal IS1 and a Q signal Q1. Similarly, the digital modulatorDM2 is configured to convert the data signal D2 into an I signal IS2 anda Q signal Q2. The I signal IS1 and the Q signal Q1 are then measured bya gain control circuit GCC1, while the I signal IS2 and the Q signal Q2are measured by a gain control circuit GCC2. Based on the I signals IS1,IS2 and the Q signals Q1, Q2, the gain control circuits GCC1, GCC2 eachgenerate a differential gain control signal Vramp1, Vramp2 respectively.The differential gain control signals Vramp1, Vramp2 are used toregulate power, as explained in further detail below.

The I signal IS1 and the Q signal Q1 are then fed into a digital gaincontroller DGC1 and the I signal IS2 and the Q signal Q2 are fed into adigital gain controller DGC2. Each of the digital gain controllers DCG1,DGC2 is programmable to generate differential digital signals (notshown) at base band, which are fed into digital-to-analog convertersDACs and then filtered by filters F1, F2, F3, F4. Resultant RF signals(not shown) are then received by mixers MAL, MAH, MBL, MBH. The mixerMAL is configured to mix a resultant RF signal with a carrier signal ina low band. In this embodiment, the RF transmission signal TXCA1, asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 11A, is generated from the mixerMAL. The mixer MAH is configured to mix a resultant RF signal with acarrier signal in a high band. In this embodiment, the RF transmissionsignal TXCA3, as described above with respect to FIG. 11B is generatedfrom the mixer MAH. The mixer MBL is configured to mix a resultant RFsignal with another carrier signal in a low band. In this embodiment,the RF transmission signal TXCA2, as described above with respect toFIG. 11A, is generated from the mixer MBL. The mixer MBH is configuredto mix a resultant RF signal with another carrier signal in a high band.In this embodiment, the RF transmission signal TXCA4, as described abovewith respect to FIG. 11B is generated from the mixer MBH.

Each of the RF transmission signal TXCA1 and the RF transmission signalTXCA2 is then amplified by a low band power amplifier LA, LB,respectively. The RF transmission signal TXCA3 and the RF transmissionsignal TXCA4 are amplified by high band power amplifiers HA, HB,respectively. A power converter PC is configured to generate powersupply voltages from a power source voltage in order to poweramplification of the RF transmission signals TXCA1, TXCA2, TXCA3, TXCA4.Power control circuitry PCC1 is configured to regulate the power supplyvoltages to the low band power amplifiers LA, LB in accordance with thedifferential gain control signal Vramp1. Similarly, power controlcircuitry PCC2 is configured to regulate the power supply voltages tothe high band power amplifiers HA, HB in accordance with thedifferential gain control signal Vramp2.

Once the RF transmission signals TXCA1, TXCA2, TXCA3, TXCA4 areamplified, the RF transmission signal TXCA1 is received by an MT switchMTA, the RF transmission signal TXCA2 is received by an MT switch MTB,the RF transmission signal TXCA3 is received by an MT switch MTC and theRF transmission signal TXCA4 is received by an MT switch MTD. The MTswitch MTA is configured to selectively couple an output of the low bandpower amplifier LA to any one of the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1,100M2, 106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2. Also, the MT switch MTB isconfigured to selectively couple an output of the low band poweramplifier LB to any one of the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100M2,106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2. In addition, the MT switch MTC isconfigured to selectively couple an output of the high band poweramplifier HA to any one of the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100M2,106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2. Finally, the MT switch MTD is configuredto selectively couple an output of the high band power amplifier HB toany one of the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2, 100-M1, 100M2, 106-M1, 106-M2,108-M1, 108-M2. In this manner, the RF transceiver circuitry 142 isconfigured to provide antenna swapping for the RF transmission signalsTXCA1, TXCA2, TXCA3, TXCA4, as described above with respect to FIGS. 11Aand 11B. The RF transceiver circuitry 142 may be configured to make TRPand/or TIS measurements to determine to which antenna ANT1, ANT2 totransmit the RF transmission signals TXCA1, TXCA2, TXCA3, TXCA4 based ona TRP parameter or a TIS parameter. Note that the RF transceivercircuitry 142 may include duplexers, such as duplexers DUP1, DUP2, inorder to both transmit and receive using the throw ports 98-M1, 98-M2,100-M1, 100M2, 106-M1, 106-M2, 108-M1, 108-M2.

FIG. 13 illustrates exemplary RF front-end circuitry that includes yetanother embodiment of antenna switching circuitry 146. The antennaswitching circuitry 146 includes front-end switching circuitry 148. Thefront-end switching circuitry 148 is the similar to the front-endswitching circuitry 75′ shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A-11D, but the front-endswitching circuitry 148 does not include the low band switchingcircuitry 78 or the high band switching circuitry 80. As such, thefront-end switching circuitry 148 includes the low band antennaselection circuitry 82′, the high band antenna selection circuitry 84′,the diplexers 76A, 76B, the directional couplers 110LA, 110HA, 110LB,110HB, and the throw switch network TSN. Furthermore, the antennaswitching circuitry 146 also includes the control circuit 46 describedabove. However, as mentioned above, the front-end switching circuitry148 does not include the low band switching circuitry 78 and the highband switching circuitry 80. Instead, the antenna switching circuitry146 includes low band switching circuitry 78′ and high band switchingcircuitry 80′.

The low band switching circuitry 78′ includes the pole port 86 and theset of the throw ports 88 described above with respect to the low bandswitching circuitry 78. Also, like the low band switching circuitry 78,the low band switching circuitry 78′ is configured to selectively couplethe pole port 86 to any of the throw ports 88. However, in thisembodiment, the low band switching circuitry 78′ is an SPMTMEMS insteadof an SPMTSTS. Otherwise, the low band switching circuitry 78′ shown inFIG. 13 is coupled to the low band antenna selection circuitry 82′ inthe same manner that the low band switching circuitry 78 is coupled tothe low band antenna selection circuitry 82, as described above.Similarly the high band switching circuitry 80′ includes the pole port90 and the set of the throw ports 92 described above with respect to thehigh band switching circuitry 80. Also, like the high band switchingcircuitry 80, the high band switching circuitry 80′ is configured toselectively couple the pole port 90 to any of the throw ports 92.However, in this embodiment, the high band switching circuitry 80′ is anSPMTMEMS instead of an SPMTSTS. Otherwise, the high band switchingcircuitry 80′ shown in FIG. 13 is coupled to the high band antennaselection circuitry 84′ in the same manner that the high band switchingcircuitry 80 is coupled to the high band antenna selection circuitry 84,as described above.

In this embodiment, the MTMEMS 14(3)(A) and the MTMEMS 14(3)(B) arecoupled to the front-end switching circuitry 148 in the same manner asdescribed above with respect to the antenna switching circuitry 74 inFIGS. 9 and 9A. With respect to the control circuit 46, the controlcircuit 46 is configured to operate the low band switching circuitry 78′and the high band switching circuitry 80′ in the same manner asdescribed above with respect to the low band switching circuitry 78 andthe high band switching circuitry 80. However, instead of the transistorswitch subcontroller 56 generating the switch control output 50(SLB) andthe switch control output 50(SHB) in response to the transistor switchcontrol mode output 62, the MEMS subcontroller 58 generates the switchcontrol output 50(SLB) and the switch control output 50(SHB) inaccordance with the MEMS switch control mode output 64. The switchcontrol output 50(SLB) is received by the low band switching circuitry78′ and the switch control output 50(SHB) is received by the high bandswitching circuitry 80′. In this manner, the low band switchingcircuitry 78′ and the high band switching circuitry 80′ are operated inthe same manner as described above with respect to FIG. 9. Thus, theantenna switching circuitry 146 can be operated by the control circuit46 in all the same LTE modes described above with respect to FIGS. 7 and8. Also, since the front-end switching circuitry 148 includes the lowband antenna selection circuitry 82′ and the high band antenna selectioncircuitry 84′, the control circuit 46 can also operate the antennaswitching circuitry 146 in the LTE modes described above with respect toFIGS. 11 and 11A-11D. Furthermore, while the antenna switching circuitry146 includes the MTMEMSs 14(3)(A) and 14(3)(B) described above withrespect to FIG. 9, alternative embodiments of the antenna switchingcircuitry 146 may includes the MTMEMSs 14(1)(A) and 14(1)(B) like thosein FIG. 7, or the MTMEMSs 14(2)(A) and 14(2)(B) like those in FIG. 8,and/or any combination of the components described herein.

Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modificationsto the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. All suchimprovements and modifications are considered within the scope of theconcepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. Antenna switching circuitry, comprising: a firstmultiple throw solid-state transistor switch (MTSTS) comprising a firstpole port and a first set of throw ports, wherein the first MTSTS isconfigured to: selectively couple the first pole port to a firstselected MTSTS throw port in the first set of throw ports to transmit atime-division duplex (TDD) transmit signal in a selected TDD band in atleast one TDD transmit time slot; selectively couple the first pole portto the first selected MTSTS throw port to transmit a frequency-divisionduplex (FDD) transmit signal and to receive an FDD receive signal in anFDD mode; and selectively couple the first pole port to a secondselected MTSTS throw port in the first set of throw ports to receive aTDD receive signal in the selected TDD band in at least one TDD receivetime slot; a first multiple throw microelectromechanical switch (MTMEMS)having a second set of throw ports comprising a plurality of TDD throwports and at least one FDD throw port and a second pole port coupled tothe first selected MTSTS throw port, wherein the first MTMEMS isconfigured to: selectively couple the second pole port to a selected oneof the plurality of TDD throw ports to provide the TDD transmit signalfrom the selected one of the plurality of TDD throw ports to the firstselected MTSTS throw port in the at least one TDD transmit time slot;and selectively couple the second pole port to the at least one FDDthrow port to provide the FDD transmit signal from the at least one FDDthrow port to the first selected MTSTS throw port and to provide the FDDreceive signal from the first selected MTSTS throw port to the at leastone FDD throw port in the FDD mode; and a second MTMEMS having a thirdset of throw ports and a third pole port, wherein: the third pole portis coupled to the second selected MTSTS throw port among the first setof throw ports; and the second MTMEMS is configured to selectivelycouple the third pole port to a selected one of the third set of throwports to provide the TDD receive signal from the second selected MTSTSthrow port to the selected one of the third set of throw ports in the atleast one TDD receive time slot; and a control circuit comprising: atransistor switch subcontroller coupled to the first MTSTS; an MEMSsubcontroller coupled to the first MTMEMS and the second MTMEMS; and amaster subcontroller coupled to the transistor switch subcontroller andthe MEMS subcontroller; wherein the control circuit is configured to:control the first MTSTS to couple the first pole port to the firstselected MTSTS throw port to transmit the TDD transmit signal in the atleast one TDD transmit time slot and to couple the first pole port tothe second selected MTSTS throw port to receive the TDD receive signalin the at least one TDD receive time slot; control the first MTMEMS tocouple the second pole port to the first selected MTSTS throw port andto the selected one of the plurality of TDD throw ports to provide theTDD transmit signal from the selected one of the plurality of TDD throwports to the first selected MTSTS throw port in the at least one TDDtransmit time slot; control the first MTMEMS to couple the second poleport to the at least one FDD throw port to provide the FDD transmitsignal from the at least one FDD throw port to the first selected MTSTSthrow port and to provide the FDD receive signal from the first selectedMTSTS throw port to the at least one FDD throw port in the FDD mode;control the second MTMEMS to couple the third pole port to the secondselected MTSTS throw port and to the selected one of the third set ofthrow ports to provide the TDD receive signal from the second selectedMTSTS throw port to the selected one of the third set of throw ports inthe at least one TDD receive time slot; and maintain couplings betweenthe second pole port and the selected one of the second set of throwports and between the third pole port and the selected one of the thirdset of throw ports when controlling the first MTSTS to selectivelycouple the first pole port to the first selected MTSTS throw port in theat least one TDD transmit time slot and to the second selected MTSTSthrow port among the first set of throw ports in the at least one TDDreceive time slot.
 2. A method of switching a multiple throw solid-statetransistor switch (MTSTS), a first multiple throw microelectromechanicalswitch (MTMEMS), and a second MTMEMS, comprising: coupling the MTSTS toa transistor switch subcontroller; coupling the first MTMEMS and thesecond MTMEMS to an MEMS subcontroller; coupling the transistor switchsubcontroller and the MEMS subcontroller to a master subcontroller;selectively coupling a first pole port of the MTSTS by the transistorswitch subcontroller to a first selected MTSTS throw port among a firstset of throw ports in the MTSTS in at least one time-division duplex(TDD) transmit time slot to transmit a TDD transmit signal in a selectedTDD band in the at least one TDD transmit time slot; selectivelycoupling the first pole port to the first selected MTSTS throw port bythe MEMS subcontroller to transmit a frequency-division duplex (FDD)transmit signal and to receive an FDD receive signal in an FDD mode; andselectively coupling the first pole port to a second selected MTSTSthrow port in the first set of throw ports by the MEMS subcontroller toreceive a TDD receive signal in the selected TDD band in at least oneTDD receive time slot; selectively coupling a second pole port of thefirst MTMEMS to the first selected MTSTS throw port and to a selectedone of a plurality of TDD throw ports among a second set of throw portsof the first MTMEMS by the MEMS subcontroller to provide the TDDtransmit signal from the selected one of the plurality of TDD throwports to the first selected MTSTS throw port in the at least one TDDtransmit time slot; selectively coupling the second pole port to atleast one FDD throw port among the second set of throw ports of thefirst MTMEMS by the MEMS subcontroller to provide the FDD transmitsignal from the at least one FDD throw port to the first selected MTSTSthrow port and to provide the FDD receive signal from the first selectedMTSTS throw port to the at least one FDD throw port in the FDD mode;selectively coupling the first pole port of the MTSTS to a secondselected MTSTS throw port in the first set of throw ports of the MTSTSby the transistor switch subcontroller in the at least one TDD receivetime slot; selectively coupling a third pole port of the second MTMEMSto the second selected MTSTS throw port and to a selected one of a thirdset of throw ports of the second MTMEMS by the MEMS subcontroller toprovide the TDD receive signal from the second selected MTSTS throw portto the selected one of the third set of throw ports in the at least oneTDD receive time slot; and maintaining coupling between the second poleport and the selected one of the second set of throw ports and betweenthe third pole port and the selected one of the third set of throw portswhen selectively coupling the first pole port to the first selectedMTSTS throw port in the at least one TDD transmit time slot and to thesecond selected MTSTS throw port in the at least one TDD receive timeslot.